


If My World Ends, I'll Follow It

by exoprincess



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: A lot of side characters, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Angst, Fake Religion, Forbidden Love, Knight Kim Jongdae, Knight Kim Jongin, Knight Kim Minseok, Knight Park Chanyeol, M/M, PLEASE READ NOTE AT BEGINNING OF STORY, Prince Byun Baekhyun, Prince Do Kyungsoo, mainshipbaeksoo, sideshipchankai
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-09
Updated: 2019-07-01
Packaged: 2019-07-10 10:05:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 29
Words: 119,842
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15947132
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/exoprincess/pseuds/exoprincess
Summary: Years ago, when stories were told in scrolls, two princes were born in different kingdoms. They were raised to hate one another and for a long time, believed everything they were taught. But, what if they find out that everything they were told to believe, were simply lies?





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! :D So I had this idea for a while and finally got inspiration to write it when I saw Kyungsoo as a prince. ^^ Chapters are being written as we speak ^^ Please note: that I am trying to refrain from giving out too much spoilers. Therefore, all I can say is...READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!!! I am planning for big things to happen and some may be unpleasant for some. You have been warned~

The kingdom of Solaris. A place known for its bright, warm days and plentiful harvests year round. The homes and roads are paved with what looks like gold because of the way the sun shines on them. At night, the moon shines, still causing a kingdom that seems to be made of light. The king and queen are known as the most kind and admired by many for their sense of humor. Their son, is no exception. He is every bit as kind and social as his parents.

From a kingdom a couple miles way, lies Monalet. It is equally as breathtaking as Solaris except it seems to be shrouded by the moonlight. The streets seem to be made of the ocean because of the beautiful light blue hues. When one walks on the roads, one would feel as though they are walking under the sea. When night time hits, it is much more breathtaking. The light blue becomes a darker shade and seems to dance when the wind hits the trees. The king and queen are modest and humble. They always put their kingdom’s needs before their own. Their son is exactly like them.

As wonderful and prosperous as these two kingdoms are, they harbor a great hatred for one another. A misunderstanding that began years ago was the cause. Not many remember, nor know what happened, all that is known is that the kingdoms despise one another with all the hatred in the world.

But, what if, the next heirs meet and grow to love and accept one another? Is there a way to find peace? Or will the hatred between their kingdoms ultimately be their demise?

***

_The fight at the clearing_

Kyungsoo stared at the Solarian prince, eyes hard as steel.

 _“Don’t go easy on him Kyungsoo!”_ His mother yelled from behind him.

The Solarian prince stood straight as he glared back at him.

 _“Baekhyun! Draw your sword and finish him!”_ The Solaris queen encouraged her son.

Kyungsoo didn’t want to fight, he wanted to leave. But if there were to be bloodshed, Monalet would be the one taking the victory.


	2. Chapter 2

Chanyeol walked deeper into the woods by himself, he had somehow managed to lose his friend as they sought berries for their beloved prince.

_“I want raspberries!” Baekhyun had insisted while they were at the castle._

_“We don’t have any! Instead, let’s go to the marketplace and--” Jongdae yelled back._

_“I’ll go get some then.” Baekhyun remarked as he put on a cape._

Chanyeol felt himself slip into mud, damn that spoiled prince! If it was up to him he would have said, “Go ahead! Get your stupid berries.” Then he would have gone horseback riding with the rest of the knights, but no. Instead he is stuck in the forest on a berry picking mission. One would think being the prince’s personal knights would be full of excitement, but no, he spends a lot of his time pampering him. Since Baekhyun is kept under surveillance 24/7, they hardly see any action. They need to make sure he is safe and protect him with their life. That is how they had been raised ever since they were children.

He knows that splitting up to look for berries was his idea, but now he regrets it. He should have listened to Jongdae’s suggestion instead and stayed together.

He removes a branch to see that he had just gotten to the clearing. This part of the woods (the clearing) was usually used for fights between Solaris and Monalet, the rival kingdom. The grass used to be green and full of life (or so he has heard). But now, every kind of plant life here had withered away. It now looked like an abandoned garden, no sign of life. Monalets still believed that this clearing was theirs, but it wasn’t, it belonged to Solaris.

He took a step forward and suddenly realized, there was someone standing in the clearing. Chanyeol, as Baekhyun’s knight, learned to be kind. He was always taught to help those in need and be friends with everyone, including those of a lower class.

“Hello.” He called out, keeping his tone friendly.

The stranger quickly turned around, eyes wide and curious as he looked Chanyeol over. He had black hair and was pretty tall. His skin was tan, at least a little tanner than Chanyeol was used to seeing. The stranger smiled and Chanyeol took note that the stranger was handsome.

“Is everything alright?” Chanyeol asked.

The stranger nodded, “Yes, thank you.”

The stranger had a deep and friendly voice. It was inviting and Chanyeol couldn’t help that he was suddenly drawn to it. He took another step towards him and realized the stranger began to look him over more intently, then his brows furrowed and his smile disappeared.

Chanyeol stopped walking towards him. Perhaps he had made him feel uncomfortable, he knew that unfortunately there were knights that abused their power and preyed on those in a lower class.

Chanyeol eyed the stranger to make sure he was unharmed, but his eyes stopped on his chest. There was a light blue crescent moon emblem that belonged to the Monalet kingdom. Not only that, but next to it was a small star, meaning this was the prince’s knight.

“What are you doing on our land?” The Monalet knight demanded.

Chanyeol sighed, what a waste for such a pretty face to belong to such a troublesome kingdom. “Leave it to your ignorant kind to still call this opening yours.”

The knight smirked at him as he reached for his sword, “You belong to the prince?”

Chanyeol quickly extended his hand for his own sword, “What was the first hint?”

“That disgusting emblem.”

Chanyeol’s emblem was embroidered on his chest. It had their symbol of the sun on it and a star in the center.

Chanyeol scoffed, “Leave it to your kind to always want to start fights.”

“Your beloved prince started it. Tell him next time he won’t be so lucky when he faces our prince.” The stranger demanded in a disgusted tone.

Chanyeol furrowed his brows. “No, tell your prince to keep off our lands. You’re lucky Baekhyun didn’t kill him on the spot.”

The stranger scoffed, “Lucky? Your prince is nothing but useless scum! Our prince was so repulsed by him, he vomited once he got home.”

Chanyeol kept his composure, “It’s not my fault that your desperate prince is so allured by ours. There’s no need to try and hide it.”

The Monalet knight took his sword out, “I’m going to slice you in half and send your head as a gift to your prince.”

Chanyeol laughed out loud, “Did I hit a nerve?”

The Monalet Knight leaped in the air and aimed for Chanyeol’s head, but they were the prince’s knights, they were both agile. Chanyeol leaped away and pulled out his own sword.

The stranger was quick, but Chanyeol had no trouble keeping up. The sound of metal hitting each other could be heard and Chanyeol had one thought on his mind, “Kill the prince’s knight.”

“Chanyeol!”

He heard Jongdae call from behind him.

The Monalet knight jumped away, realizing he was outnumbered.

“Jongdae! You’re here to help me rid the world of scum!” Chanyeol replied happily as Jongdae walked over to him.

“You found a Monalet?” Jongdae asked.

Chanyeol nodded and smirked, “The prince’s knight.”

Jongdae smiled and placed the basket of berries by the entry. He quickly ran next to Chanyeol.

The Monalet knight scoffed, “Your kind were always known as cheaters.”

Jongdae took out his sword, “Say goodbye.” He said as he got into position.

The sudden sound of hooves running towards them interrupted whatever was going to happen. A light brown horse suddenly emerged from behind the Monalet Knight. Another knight rode it, he also had on the Monalet emblem engraved on his clothing. The emblem was the same as the first knight’s revealing that he was also the prince’s knight. He didn’t seem to have noticed the Solaris Knights.

“Jongin!” he called out. His eyes suddenly darted to Chanyeol and Jongdae and his eyebrows furrowed. “We don’t have time to deal with you today!”

Jongdae scoffed, “You’re scared, just say it.”

The other knights eyebrows furrowed and he looked back at Jongin, “Ignore them, we have more important matters.”

“Stop making excuses and come at us!” Chanyeol shouted at them.

Jongin gritted his teeth and walked towards them.

“Jongin! Kyungsoo is missing.” The other knight said suddenly.

Jongin’s eyes widened and his head turned to face the knight atop the horse, “What?!”

“We need to go!” The knight demanded as the horse began getting restless.

“Can’t even keep track of their prince.” Jongdae teased as he looked at Chanyeol.

“Tsk tsk. Pitiful.” Chanyeol said as he put away his sword, “Leave it to trash to not be able to complete a simple task.”

Jongin glared at the both of them, “Minseok, can I just ring their neck? Please?”

Minseok shook his head. “We’re leaving now!”

Jongin sighed and climbed onto the horse behind Minseok. “This isn’t over!” He yelled as they both rode away.

Chanyeol pouted, “Now what?”

“You got the berries?” Jongdae asked.

Chanyeol facepalmed.

***

Baekhyun walked into the Solaris forest on his own. He had told his knights that he wanted berries, but they decided to take their sweet time. He wanted the berries now!

He had been watched carefully ever since he was a child, unable to do anything on his own. However, the constant surveillance had given him a gift. A small gift, but a gift nonetheless. He had learned to be sneaky. He was able to sneak away from the castle whenever he pleased. Most of the time, he went with his knights and they explored lands together. But there were rare occasions, like now, that he was by himself. He knew he should have waited for them, but they were taking forever. Besides, he would be home before his knights ever make it back.

He walked into the forest, under the sun. Everything about Solaris was pretty, he loved being the prince of it. One day, the kingdom would be his and he would be able to decide what was best for his people. He delve deeper into the forest, he knew exactly where to go to find the berries he sought. He saw a bush covered with the sweet fruit and smiled as they beckoned him to be picked.

He got closer, when suddenly, he heard a grunt come from his right and then a tumble. He stopped in his tracks and looked towards the sound. He saw what appeared to be a person on the floor. The stranger was sitting up as he rubbed his backside. It seemed to Baekhyun that the stranger had fallen and gotten themselves hurt. He let out a small scoff and walked towards the stranger, “Are you alright?” He asked in a friendly tone.

The stranger perked up and looked at him. His eyes were wide in shock and he stood up quickly. Baekhyun recognized the face right away. It was the person he had encountered a few days ago in the clearing, the Monalet prince.

Baekhyun felt his smile disappear and he reached for his sword. “What are you doing on my lands?” He asked sternly.

The Monalet prince merely swallowed and took a step back.

“I said,” Baekhyun began as he flung his sword in front of him, “What are doing on my lands?”

The latter looked clearly shaken. He was standing there, unsure of what to do. Baekhyun was taught that Monalet’s were ruthless and wanted to do nothing but fight, so he kept his guard up. He wouldn’t fall for the fake façade.

“Answer me!” Baekhyun demanded.

The Monalet prince opened his mouth to speak, “If you’re going to kill me, do it now. Don’t make this linger.”

Baekhyun raised an eyebrow. He found it odd that the prince was not reaching for his own sword nor any kind of weapon. Upon closer inspection, he realized that the Monalet prince didn’t have a weapon on him. He was standing in front of Baekhyun without any sort of protection.

Killing the Monalet prince would be an easy task. He could run up and slay him easily, without getting a single drop of his blood on his own clothes. But Baekhyun was hesitant. How could he harm someone who had no defense? That would be like hunting a baby deer without his mother around, cruel and heartless.

“Just do it already!” The Monalet prince shouted.

“Why don’t you run?” Baekhyun asked as his guard went down a bit.

“It would be futile, you would surely capture me. I fought you already, I know how agile you are. As you have already noticed, I am unarmed and vulnerable. You’ve caught me at my worst.”

Baekhyun contemplated what he should do. Capturing the prince and killing him would surely teach the Monalet’s a lesson. But he couldn’t bring himself to harm someone unarmed. He stood there, thinking about his next move, when he finally came to a decision he hopes he won’t regret.

He sighed and put his sword down, “You’re a long way from home.” He responded.

The Monalet prince kept his expression guarded.

Baekhyun cleared his throat and put his sword away. “Better?”

The prince gave him a once over, still not answering.

Baekhyun thought about how to approach the situation, “I can help you get home.”

The latter furrowed his brows. “I don’t want your help.”

Baekhyun scoffed, “You have no choice. Either you accept my help or stay here lost.”

“Who says I’m lost?”

“So you just casually wandered onto my lands without a weapon?”

Kyungsoo’s expression stayed guarded.

Baekhyun gave one final sigh, “Look, I can help you get back.”

His expression began to soften. “How do I know I can trust you?”

Baekhyun shrugged, “You don’t have a choice.”

He twisted his mouth to the side as he thought.

“Listen Monalet, I don’t have all day.”

“Kyungsoo.” He corrected.

“Huh?”

“My name is Kyungsoo, prince of Monalet kingdom.”

Baekhyun chuckled, “Baekhyun, prince of Solaris.” He introduced.

Kyungsoo nodded, “Nice to meet you, under different circumstances.”

Baekhyun swallowed and walked past him, he kept a poker face. “This way.” He gestured.

Kyungsoo walked behind him, a slight distance between them.

“Hey, Kyungsoo.” He turned around, “I’m trying to help you, don’t walk behind me.”

It was well known that most deaths happen when one has their back to someone. There is no way he was about to die from an attack from behind, especially by the hand of the Monalet prince. In addition, they were not friends, this was simply a small gesture of kindness.

Kyungsoo caught up to him and they walked side by side, but still kept their distance. They stayed silent, unsure of what to say. If Baekhyun’s people were to ever get word of their prince helping Monalet’s, he would be in deep trouble. He was already breaking so many rules by doing this, might as well try and make small talk with him.

“So, is this your first time sneaking out?” Baekhyun asked.

Kyungsoo shrugged, “Maybe.”

Baekhyun kept his eyes forward. “You learn the land better when you sneak out. You should do it more often.”

Kyungsoo scoffed, “Leave it to a Solarian to be a bad influence.”

“Leave it to a Monalet to be so boring.”

Kyungsoo glared at him, Baekhyun sent him a smirk. He couldn’t help that he grew a bit content knowing he just agitated a Monalet.  

“Why are you helping me anyway?”

Baekhyun shrugged, “I can’t hurt someone who is defenseless. Besides, you haven’t done anything to me. Yeah, our ancestors hated each other’s guts, but I don’t even know you.”

Kyungsoo’s expression softened.

“Plus, you don’t seem like a bad guy. I don’t get that vibe from you. Yeah, we fought in the clearing, but that’s because we were kind of forced to.”

They had seen each other for the first time in the clearing. Their mothers were with the both of them and despite not knowing anything about each other, engaged in a fight because the queens prompted them to.

“That’s true.” Kyungsoo responded.  “But, if I would have had a weapon, you would have hurt me earlier.”

Baekhyun shook his head, “I don’t really believe in attacking first, I believe in self-defense.”

“You say that now.”

“Earlier, I was being cautious. I didn’t know if you were going to try and slay me. You don’t have to believe me. It’s up to you whether or not to take my words as truth.”

It grew quiet again. The both of them simply walked until they got to a fork in the road.

Baekhyun stopped in his tracks. “I can’t go any further. The left side is part of your lands.”

“How do you know this?”

Baekhyun giggled, a cute little sound, “I told you, you need to sneak around more often to learn. If you keep going up this path, you’ll end up in your kingdom.”

“You’ve been to my kingdom before?”

Baekhyun shook his head, “No, but I have seen your castle. Trust me, you’ll see it if you walk down that path. It’s really big and to be honest, well built.”

Kyungsoo gave a small smile, but hid it away quickly. He didn’t expect to receive a compliment from a Solarian, much less it’s prince.

“But ours is better.” Baekhyun quickly added.

And there was the pompous side Solarians were known for. Kyungsoo took a step towards the path, but not before turning around. “Thank you.”

Baekhyun merely nodded in response. “Don’t go onto my lands again. I can’t promise that my knights or any of my people won’t harm you.”  

Kyungsoo nodded back, “Same goes for you Baekhyun.”

***

Chanyeol and Jongdae paced back and forth in the kitchen. The sun was setting and there was still no sign of their prince.

“We need to go looking for him.” Chanyeol said suddenly, voice frantic.

“If we go out, the king will wonder where we went! We can’t go anywhere.”

Chanyeol sighed and looked down at his feet. “Well, we can’t stay here. What if he’s in danger?”

Jongdae bit his bottom lip. Baekhyun usually tells them when he goes out somewhere. Or they all go out together. It was rare for him to go out on his own without letting them know where he was going.

“We need to trust in him.” Jongdae reassured. “I’m sure he just…went out for a walk?”

Chanyeol sighed. When he saw Baekhyun he would smack him so hard, he would be seeing stars until morning.

“Ok, if he doesn’t show up by the time the moon is out, we’ll go looking for him.”

“Go looking for who?”

Jongdae and Chanyeol’s head turned immediately to see Baekhyun leaning against the doorway. He had a smirk on his face.

“Who are gonna look for?” He asked as he walked towards them.

“Where were you!?” Chanyeol demanded.

“You had us worried idiot!” Jongdae yelled out.

Baekhyun laughed, “Why?”

Jongdae’s mouth dropped, “You should know perfectly well why! You disappeared without a trace.”

“I went to look for berries. You guys took too long.” He pouted.

Jongdae rolled his eyes as he grabbed the basket that was resting on the table. “Here’s your stupid berries!” He shoved them in front of Baekhyun and the latter eagerly took them in his hands.

“Thanks!” He replied as he shoved them in his mouth. “So sweet.” He muttered in between each bite.

Chanyeol shook his head, “You nearly made us get in a fight getting you those.”

Baekhyun raised an eyebrow, “Did a skunk spray you?”

Jongdae shook his head, “Worse! We met Monalet knights.”

Baekhyun swallowed and wiped his mouth with his hand. “Monalet knights?”

Chanyeol nodded, “The prince’s knights.”

Baekhyun felt his heart stop, “The prince’s knights?”

“Yeah, but don’t worry. They didn’t lay a finger on us!” Chanyeol and Jongdae laughed and looked at each other. “Next time though, they won’t be so lucky.

Baekhyun forced a smile, “What do you mean?”

“Well we know what they look like. So, we can kill them next time.”

Baekhyun felt a lump in his throat, “Why would you want to do that?”

“ ’cuz they’re Monalet.” Chanyeol responded as though it was the most obvious answer in the world.

“Did you ever think that maybe violence isn’t the answer? I mean…if they attack first, then yeah. But if they’re just standing there, why does it matter?”

Jongdae hummed in response, “You’re right. We don’t want to stoop to their level. Ruthless and disgusting.”

Baekhyun shrugged, “I’m just saying, never attack, simply defend yourself.”

Chanyeol nodded, “Yeah, when they attack, kill them all.”

Baekhyun sighed, they were missing the point completely. But it was futile trying to explain this to them. Each of them were raised to hate Monalets, but he couldn’t bring himself to hate anyone. He just had to play the part of spiteful prince. Sometimes, he wishes it could be different. That everyone could simply mind their own business.

Baekhyun plopped the last berry in his mouth, “I’m going to bathe. I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Hey, next time tell us where you’re going, yeah?”

Baekhyun looked back at them.

“We won’t snitch or anything, we just…worry about you.” Jongdae added.

Baekhyun smiled. He was happy to know that his knights were also his best friends, “I will.”

***

Kyungsoo arrived home on foot. The prince, Baekhyun, hadn’t lied to him and instead had told him the truth about where to go to arrive home. At first he had doubted that he had told him the truth, but once the road began to look familiar, he knew he was on the right track home.

He walked until he finally made it onto the Monalet grounds. He walked through the marketplace and saw his castle looming over it. It was big and left a big shadow on the floor beneath it.

“Prince Kyungsoo!” he heard a shopkeeper yell out.

Kyungsoo turned his head to make eye contact with one of the fruit vendors. He was standing in front of his cart, big smile on his lips. His black hair was in disarray across his head and his hand was reaching out towards an apple.

Kyungsoo gave him a smile back, “Hello Hoseok.” As prince, he had walked inside the marketplace and through his kingdom, as long as, it was inside the walls. He had met all those about his age and made sure to know each of their names. He was one day going to be king and as such, needed to let his citizens know that he cared for each one of them.

Hoseok let out a chuckle, “What brings you to the marketplace today?”

“Simply taking a rest from my duties in the castle.” He lied. He couldn’t tell Hoseok that he had snuck out of his kingdom because of curiosity.

Hoseok mused in response, “I don’t know if I could do what you do.”

Kyungsoo chuckled, “What makes you say that?”

“Well…you work so hard your majesty. I am but a mere peasant.”

Kyungsoo furrowed his brows. “Hoseok, you don’t have to adress me so formally, you know that. And you work just as hard as me. I assure you, if one were to put me to tend to the kingdom’s vegetation, I would be clueless. Not only that, but I would probably need to leave early due to fatigue.”

Hoseok smiled, “Thank you.” He reached over for a pear, “It’s not much, but this is for you. I would offer more, but the rest of the fruits have been dying recently.” He handed it towards Kyungsoo who took it in his hands eagerly.

“This is more than enough Hoseok, thank you. The fruits are dying?”

Hoseok nodded, “Strange isn’t it? I fear we may have a bad harvest this year.”

Kyungsoo furrowed his brows, “Is this just for your farm?”

Hoseok shook his head, “No, all the farms located close to ours’ are having this problem. I’m not sure about the farms located further away. My father is going tomorrow to the castle to tell the king of our troubles.”

Kyungsoo nodded, “I will tell my father once I arrive home. I’m sure we can get to the bottom of this.”

“I was thinking maybe the soil has gone bad, perhaps we can plant somewhere else before it gets too cold.”

Kyungsoo smiled, “Excellent analysis! Perhaps that is the reason.”

Kyungsoo bid goodbye to the young vendor and made his way towards the castle. He wasn’t sure how long he was gone, but he was almost certain his knights would have noticed by now. Minseok was very responsible and vigilant. Jongin was very protective and cunning.

He walked in through the big castle doors, the knights standing guard raised an eyebrow at him, but he merely continued walking and ignored their gaze. 

Kyungsoo arrived home to an angry Jongin and stern Minseok.

“Where were you?!” Jongin demanded.

Kyungsoo rolled his eyes and looked away.

“Kyungsoo! Don’t ignore me!”

Kyungsoo walked past him, “None of your business.”

Jongin scoffed and walked after him, “It is my business! It’s my sworn duty to protect you!”

Kyungsoo turned around to glare at him, “I was exploring! Can I not do anything without someone breathing down my back every second?”

Jongin opened his mouth to say something but Minseok put his arm on his shoulder. Jongin turned to look at his brother, who gave him a stern look.

Minseok walked past Jongin towards Kyungsoo, “We were worried because there were Solaris knights in the clearing today.”

Kyungsoo furrowed his brows, “Solaris knights?”

“We worried that they may have hurt you.”

Kyungsoo’s features softened, “I’m fine.”

Minseok nodded, “That’s all we wanted to know.”

Kyungsoo scoffed, “I went out to see what the kingdom is like behind the walls.”

Minseok smiled, “There’s nothing wrong with that. Next time, just bring us along with you.”

Kyungsoo smiled at him. Minseok was such a big brother figure. Even though he was only Jongin’s brother, it seemed as though he was Kyungsoo’s as well. He watched out for the both of them and always had the right things to say.

“Hey,” Minseok gently nudged the prince’s shoulder, “We don’t breath down your neck every second.” he pouted.

Kyungsoo couldn’t help but let out a chuckle. “Ok, not every second.” He looked at Jongin who was biting his lower lip. How could he stay mad at him? The younger simply cared too much. He reached out and ruffled his hair. “I’ll let you know when I step out next time, alright?”

Jongin half smiled, “That would be helpful.” He looked over at his older brother, “Hyung, next time we see those knights, we’ll slay them, right?”

Minseok laughed, “Only if they attack first.”

Jongin smiled, “Or maybe we’ll get luckier! We can catch their prince alone!”

Kyungsoo’s eyes darted up and his mouth twisted to the side.

Minseok smiled wide, “That would teach those Solarians. Imagine! Their prince in our dungeon begging for mercy. Bowing before Kyungsoo and ultimately submitting to him.”

The insults brought a vile taste in Kyungsoo’s mouth. He didn’t know if he would be here right now if it weren’t for the Solaris prince.

“Kyungsoo?”

“Yeah,” He fake smiled, “That would definetly teach those Solarians a lesson.”

Jongin chuckled, “Don’t mess with Monalet.”

Kyungsoo still agreed, Solarians were vile, but their prince was alright. As long as those people didn’t mess with him or his kingdom, he didn’t care what happened to them. But, he couldn’t hate their prince. Their prince was kind and seemed to be different than the rest of them.


	3. Chapter 3

Baekhyun woke up early, like always, to begin his training. He was so accustomed to the routine, he sometimes woke up earlier than the servants. This morning, he was already in the bath when one of them walked in to tell him that they would get it ready for him.

After he felt refreshed and clean, he walked back into his room. His outfit for the day was laid perfectly against his bed. He smiled and put it on eagerly. Today he would be traveling up the mountains with his father. Originally, it was so that he could practice horseback riding, but now it was a time used to bond. After Baekhyun learned to ride a horse without a problem, he cherished these sessions with his father. It was nice to have these moments alone with him. It was these moments when he felt that his father was happy to have him as a son. He got dressed quickly and walked out of his room after making sure he looked presentable.

He scurried through the hallways, “Good morning your highness.” The servants greeted as they passed by him.

Baekhyun would send them the smile he was known for, bright and full of life. “Good morning.” He greeted back with a slight nod of his head.

He walked into the eating area, his parents already seated. Chanyeol and Jongdae sat in their usual seats as well, waiting for him. Since they were Baekhyun’s knights, they were given special privileges. As a child, he declared that his knights eat when he eats. His parents tried to explain that knights need to eat with each other, but Baekhyun was having none of it. The king and queen saw no harm in letting the young knights eat with the prince and ultimately allowed it. It had now become a daily routine.

“Good morning Baekhyun.” The queen greeted.

Baekhyun sat down next to his knights, “Good morning mother.” He responded back.

“You seem in a good mood.” Commented his father.

Baekhyun nodded, “I am sir.”

The king let out a chuckle as he took a sip of his tea. “And why is that?”

“I am to go with you today. To the mountains.” Baekhyun reminded him eagerly.

His father put his cup down and swallowed, “Oh yes…about that.”

Baekhyun’s smile faltered just a bit.

“You see Baekhyun, I feel that there is no need for those sessions anymore.”

Baekhyun stayed smiling even as he shook his head, “I...I don’t understand.”

“Son, you can ride a stead with no trouble anymore. You may even be able to teach others how to ride, there is no need for our trips up the mountains.”

Baekhyun let out a slight chuckle, “But father, I was looking forward to it.”

“I’m sure you were. But there are other important matters to attend to.”

“Oh?”

“You will train with Chanyeol and Jongdae on your archery skills.”

Baekhyun nearly let out a grunt, but kept his mouth shut. If there was one thing he hated, it was when he trained with weaponry. He already knew the basics, he didn’t need to spend so much time on it when he knew that he was already skilled enough.

“Father, I am already skilled in that component.”

His father shook his head, “You must excel! You must be better than everyone! Especially that wretched Monalet prince.”

Baekhyun quirked up a bit, “Monalet prince?”

“There are rumors saying he is the most skilled archer in the land. That should be you! Not him!”

Baekhyun gave a slight pout, nothing he did was ever good enough it seemed. But, he could have sworn that the day they dueled in the clearing, they were on the same league.  “But father, when I dueled him, we matched in swordsmanship.”

“You must be better than him in everything! You shall practice archery until you are an expert.”

Baekhyun looked down at the table, the servants were bringing in the food and settling it in front of them. He had been hungry, but now he seemed to have lost his appetite.

“Baekhyun!” His father called out.

The prince’s head snapped up.

“Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes sir.”

The king smiled. “Good, now you are to train until the sun is directly above your head, then I want you to go around the kingdom. Familiarize yourself with all of our people and land.”

Baekhyun mentally rolled his eyes, he had seen the land thousands of times. Yet, it seems he still has to go and do that.

“Yes father.”

His morning had been ruined.

After breakfast, his knights and he went towards the battle ground. But Baekhyun insisted they walk through the garden first.

“Why do you want to do this?” Chanyeol asked as they walked on the path.

“If I’m going to be stuck doing something I hate, I want to take the long route.” He answered as he walked through. It was so peaceful and serene in the garden, it reminded him of the Solaris forest. It was calm and seemed as though time stopped when one walked by.

“I like it here.” Jongdae said as he stopped in front of the roses, “I don’t mind taking the longer route.”

Baekhyun let out a snicker, “Jongdae understands me.”

Chanyeol scoffed, “I know you don’t like to train in fighting, but it’s necessary.”

Baekhyun furrowed his brows. “I’m not having this conversation with you Chanyeol!” He yelled out as he walked out of the garden and into the fighting arena.

Chanyeol sighed, why must he throw such a tantrum? Jongdae and Chanyeol knew that Baekhyun preferred to help others. He was a kind soul that didn’t want to spill the blood of anyone else. Baekhyun hated when he had to fight, he knew it was necessary, but if it were up to him: he would never hurt anyone. Instead, he would hope that he could use his words to resolve the problem.

When the trio arrived to the arena, the knights were already training. They were split up in groups and were fighting as though it was a real battle. The instructor was observing each one of them from a small stand that had been built.

“Good morning sir!” Chanyeol and Jongdae yelled towards the instructor as they bowed in respect.

The instructor turned to look at them and smiled. “Jongdae, Chanyeol! Aren’t you going to join the boys today?” he asked as he stepped off his stand and made their ways towards them.

“No sir, we were instructed by the king to train with Baekhyun today.”

He opened his mouth as if to say something, but smiled instead. His head turned to look at Baekhyun, “Your excellency.” He bowed slightly.

Baekhyun smiled at him, “Good morning.”

“What will you be practicing today your highness?”

“My archery skills. My father wants me to improve.”

He nodded, “Of course, very important.”

“If you will please excuse us, we will make our way towards the bows and arrows.” Baekhyun announced as he began to walk past him.

“Of course, good luck.”

Chanyeol and Jongdae trailed behind him towards the archery station. It was a grassy patch, unlike the flat dirt that was used for sword skills. The bows and arrows were located in the same place where one could find all of the weaponry of the castle. There were practice arrows made of weak wood and real arrows, made of stone and flint. Bows were the same, the practice ones were made of weak wood, while the ones used outside the castle were made of a much thicker, stronger wood.

“You ready?” Jongdae asked as he grabbed the supplies and headed outside eagerly.

“Let’s hold a contest again!” Chanyeol yelled behind him.

Baekhyun pouted and walked behind them.

They all stood in front of a target a couple of feet away.

“Let’s have a warm up first.” Chanyeol announced as he loosened his muscles.

Jongdae pulled back his bow and aimed for the target, he released a breath and shot. The arrow landed close to the center, almost a perfect ten, but earning him a nine instead. Jongdae straightened up.

Chanyeol let out a holler, “Close!” He yelled. He pulled back his bow and relaxed his posture as he aimed for the target. He ultimately shot and the arrow landed him a perfect ten. He smiled as he straightened up, “But I’ll always be the best.”

“Show off!” Jongdae yelled out.

Chanyeol spun his bow around, “Not my fault I’m better than you.”

Baekhyun let out a laugh as he pulled back his bow. He shut one eye and aimed, finally letting go. His arrow landed somewhere in between the six and seven mark.

His smile faded and he straightened up. He wasn’t supposed to do so terribly. Why couldn’t he be as skilled as his knights? He clenched his jaw, this may have been alright when they were kids. He might have laughed it off and teased himself for doing so horribly. But, now he was grown. There was no room for mistakes, he needed to be better.

“Just practice more.” Jongdae told him.

“You’re just a bit rusty.” Chanyeol tried cheering him up.

Baekhyun let out a sigh and held up his bow. “Let’s practice more.”

Chanyeol and Jongdae ran to grab their arrows, “Alright.” They replied eagerly.

***

Kyungsoo saw as the blade went towards him, threatening to slice his upper arm. He timed it, waiting for the perfect moment, and then swiped his sword up, deflecting the attack. This caused the knight in front of him to stumble and he took the moment to strike. He flung his sword upwards, knocking the weapon out of the knight’s hand. The knight stumbled again, and Kyungsoo flung his sword towards the knight’s neck.

“We’re done here.” Kyungsoo said, voice stern. He let his sword drop to his side and turned his back to walk towards the field that was for archery.

“You did amazing Kyungsoo!” His mother yelled excitedly.

Kyungsoo sent a smile her way.

“Son! I am so proud of you!” His father shouted enthusiastically.

The knight that Kyungsoo had been training with straightened up, “You were amazing your highness! One day you will be the reason behind the death of that Solaris prince.” He was the head of the royal guard.

Kyungsoo picked up his bow and arrows that were placed on the grass. He didn’t answer and instead swung the arrows behind his back.

 “I’m surprised that he actually matched you in skill Kyungsoo.” The queen said as she watched her son pick at the bow to make it sturdier. “You seemed to not be yourself that day.”

The Solaris prince…Baekhyun, didn’t match him in swordsmanship. If anything, Baekhyun lacked a little bit. Of course, he could fight, but there was something in his movements. It was as if he didn’t want to duel. Kyungsoo couldn’t use all of his strength when he saw that his opponent didn’t want to fight to begin with. It went against all of the kindness his parents raised him to have. But, if he was being honest, the prince was fast. Kyungsoo had a bit of trouble matching with him in speed, if Baekhyun had wanted to fight, he would be a scary opponent. His moves would be quick and hard to predict. However, Kyungsoo could tell that while Baekhyun was fast, Kyungsoo was much stronger. If he had used all of his blunt power, he may have won the duel.  But, he is glad he didn’t. He still hadn’t forgotten how the prince helped him home and although he hated to admit it, Baekhyun seemed like a good person.

“Perhaps, I wasn’t feeling myself that day.” Kyungsoo replied as he stretched his bow, aiming for the target a couple of feet away. He shot and landed a perfect bullseye, then he aimed for the next three targets. The arrows landed perfectly each time.

He let out a sigh as he put his bow down. Kyungsoo was amazing in swordsmanship, but he was a master when it came to archery.

“Bravo Kyungsoo!” The leader of the knights clapped. “Make sure to always carry your arrows with you. So that next time you see a Solarian, you kill them on sight.”

Kyungsoo ignored the remark, the head knight had always given him a bad vibe. He couldn’t deny that he was skilled and very well trained, but he always struck Kyungsoo as full of himself. In addition, the head knight seemed to need to bring up Solaris in every conversation he had. He had a tendency to always bring up how much he hated them and how every one of them should be annihilated. Of course, Kyungsoo knew that Solaris wasn’t liked in his kingdom, but no one else in the kingdom needed to constantly remind others how much they despised Solarians.  

Instead of responding to the remark made by the head knight, he walked towards his father. “Is there more training I should be doing sir?”

His father smiled, “No Kyungsoo. You seem to be exceling in everything.”

***

Baekhyun walked in the garden, his knights next to him. None of them uttered a word, instead they walked in silence. Baekhyun hadn’t improved in his archery skills. If anything, it seemed as though the practice wasn’t helping at all. He felt so ashamed next to his knights. They were able to hit the targets with ease, unlike him.

“Hey Baekhyun, it’s about time for dinner.” Chanyeol said as he placed his hand on his shoulder.

Baekhyun looked over at him, “I’m not too hungry.”

“But you haven’t eaten since breakfast.” Jongdae added.

Baekhyun bit his lower lip and looked ahead. “You guys can go ahead.”

He couldn’t face his father, not right now.

“Please Baekhyun, you’ll get sick if you don’t eat.”

Baekhyun shook his head. “I’ll be fine.”

Chanyeol pouted, but reluctantly agreed to let Baekhyun have his way.

“Would it be alright with both of you if I’m alone for a bit?” Baekhyun asked as he looked ahead. “I wish to have time to myself.”

Jongdae and Chanyeol looked at one another then back at Baekhyun. They were his appointed knights, the ones that were to be his guardians, but they had known each other since they were children. They weren’t just his knights, they were his best friends. And as such, knew him very well. They knew he felt awful not being able to excel in archery. But, they also knew that Baekhyun needed time to himself.

“Very well.” Jongdae replied. “We’ll be in the knight’s quarters. Come to us if you need anything.”

Baekhyun nodded, “Thank you.”

Chanyeol patted his shoulder, “Call for us if you need anything, alright?”

Baekhyun sent him a small smile, “Of course.”

They both left, hoping that perhaps Baekhyun would feel better soon. Baekhyun sighed and looked at the yellow flowers that paved a walkway. He kneeled down and took one of its soft petals in between his fingers. So delicate and yet, able to stand on its own. It grows the way it wishes to, not needing to meet others expectations. Baekhyun felt different, he didn’t think fighting was important, but his father thought otherwise. He wishes he could be like the flower, able to grow without a care in the world, without fear that perhaps he would make a mistake.

“Baekhyun!”

Baekhyun flinched and stood up quickly. That was his father’s voice. He straightened himself up as he prepared himself for the interrogation.

“Baekhyun!” He heard again, closer this time.

He turned around and walked towards the king. “Yes father?”

“I have been looking for you. Have you been avoiding me?” The king asked sternly.

Baekhyun stood in front of him and shook his head, “No sir.”

“How did the training go?”

Baekhyun gulped, “Well, I trained very hard.”

He furrowed his brows, “Training very hard doesn’t tell me anything.”

Baekhyun opened his mouth, then shut it. His eyes darted to the ground.

“Look at me, when I talk to you!” He commanded.

Baekhyun tightened his fists and his eyes darted up, “Yes sir.”

“Now answer me, how did your training go?”

Baekhyun could tell, by the tone of voice that his father knew it had not gone well. One of the knights watching had probably already given him a full report of this afternoon. There was no use in denying any of it. He instead bowed at a ninety degree angle and shut his eyes tight.

“I promise to do better next time.”

He heard his father let out a sigh of frustration, “So, it’s true?”

Baekhyun didn’t move from his position.

“You didn’t hit a single target?!” He yelled at him.

Baekhyun straightened up, “I hit the targets, just…not in the center.”

The king scoffed as he rubbed his temples. He let out another exasperated sigh.

Baekhyun waited to hear what the king would declare.

“Very well.” The king ultimately said. “Perhaps you need to have proper incentive.”

“Incentive?”

“Tomorrow, right after breakfast, you shall head out. You are not allowed inside of the castle, until you bring home five lizards, shot with an arrow.”

Baekhyun’s eyes widened, “Father, you can’t be—“

“Do I make myself clear?” He asked sternly. His eyes glaring into Baekhyun.

The prince straightened up, “Yes sir.”  Lizards roamed around the woods and could usually be found on trees. But they were so small and agile, one would need to focus very well to shoot one with an arrow. Not only that, but Baekhyun couldn’t hit a single bullseye, how would he be able to shoot something so small that moved?

“Oh, and you must go alone. Your knights are not allowed to come with you.”

Baekhyun had snuck out without his knights before, but he had never been without them on an assignment. It was going to be strange not having them by his side while he went hunting for something that was practically impossible to obtain.

“If, it gets dark and you still are unable to gather the lizards, you will sleep on hay for tomorrow night.”

“Father, there is no hay in the castle.” Baekhyun was quick to respond.

“Oh? I didn’t say you were entering the castle. You can sleep where the cattle reside.”

Baekhyun’s mouth dropped.  “But, that’s in the farm area of the kingdom.”

“Pardon me, did I stutter Baekhyun?”

Baekhyun’s shoulders slumped, “No sir.” How could he possibly sleep well tonight knowing he had so much pressure on him for tomorrow?  

***

Kyungsoo sat with his parents at the dining table. They were each drinking their tea before the main courses were brought in by the servants.

“You did amazing today son, as usual.” His father complimented.

Kyungsoo let his lip quirk upwards a bit, “Thank you.”

“Our son is going to be the best king when he takes the throne.” The queen added.

Kyungsoo looked over at her, “I would never be able to replace the both of you.”

“Nonsense, you are an excellent fighter, leader, and get along with everyone in the kingdom! You are going to be astounding.” The king praised.

“Oh, father. Speaking of the kingdom, have you sent an inspection team to look over the crops?” Kyungsoo had told the king about what Hoseok had told him days ago. He wasn’t aware if his father had actually sent someone to inspect or not.

“Oh yes, I sent the head knight along with a team he assembled to look over the crops. I didn’t want to bring it up until I know the reason behind it, but it seems as if they are dying without a cause.”

Kyungsoo raised his eyebrow, “Is this happening to all of the crops in the kingdom?”

He shook his head, “Only the ones on the Eastern side. If we don’t figure out what is going on, this epidemic may spread.”

Kyungsoo knew they wouldn’t starve if it was only the Eastern side. In addition, there was plenty of work for the landscapers of the kingdom, with or without the Eastern side. However, they needed to find the cause of the dying vegetation quickly. Since they are unaware of the reason, they don’t know if perhaps this could spread to the rest of the farms. If perhaps there was something going on that could spread to the rest of the crops, they would be in deep trouble. Kyungsoo twisted his mouth to the side, “Would it be possible for me to inspect it tomorrow with my knights? I wish to see the problem firsthand.”

“Of course.” The king replied.

Kyungsoo had an obligation as the prince to invoke himself in matters concerning his kingdom. He wanted what was best for them. He needed to know everything would be alright.

“After dinner, I will consult with Minseok and Jongin to let them know of my plans.”

Just as he said that, the food was being served in front of them. Kyungsoo ate quickly and excused himself to speak with his knights. He walked through his castle’s hallways, ultimately ending up on the training grounds.

Minseok and Jongin were eating with the other knights, laughing as the group told a joke. They had decided to eat outside today, under the sunset. Taemin was settled next to Jongin, an arm draped over his shoulder. Minseok was on the opposite end, munching on their meal.

Kyungsoo cleared his throat to get their attention and the group turned their heads towards him.

“Oh, your highness!” The youngest knight exclaimed.

“Minseok, Jongin, I need to speak with you.” Kyungsoo answered in a serious tone.

Taemin’s arm dropped and Jongin was up in an instant, Minseok was quick to follow. Kyungsoo felt slight guilt interrupting their meal time. He was considering stopping and telling them to simply continue and he would wait until they were done. But, he was already leading them away. Besides, it would be short, he didn’t want to keep them too long.

“Is there something wrong Kyungsoo?” Minseok asked when they ultimately stopped behind the knight’s quarters.

“No, everything is fine.” Kyungsoo assured. “I’m sorry, this actually could have waited until after you were done.”

Jongin laughed, “We’re already here. Just tell us, what’s going on?”

Kyungsoo knew he could always rely on them, even when he interrupted something as important as meal time. “Well, I wish to go to the eastern side of the kingdom. More specifically, where the crops are grown.”

“Oh? A reason as to why?” Minseok asked.

Kyungsoo nodded, “I’ll explain in detail tomorrow when we head out, but it seems as though there is something going on with the kingdom’s crops.”

“Kyungsoo, did I hear you speak about the dying crops?”

Kyungsoo mentally sighed, that was the voice of the head knight. He was always bringing himself into matters that didn’t concern him.

Kyungsoo darted his eyes towards him, “Pardon me, but I am having a private conversation with my knights. And I don’t recall ever allowing you to call me by my name.”

“I apologize your majesty. I just am concerned over the crops.”

“We all are. But that is not an excuse to eavesdrop on the prince.”

“Do you suppose perhaps Solarians are the reason behind it?”

Kyungsoo already didn’t like this guy and him simply brushing off what he just said wasn’t helping his case.

“There is no way Solarians can enter.” Jongin answered. “We keep constant surveillance.”

“Nothing good ever comes out of jumping to conclusions.” Minseok added, “Let us inspect this and figure out what is going on before worrying each other.”

“Minseok is right. If we need further assistance, we will call for you. But until then, you are dismissed.” Kyungsoo told him sternly.

The head knight bit the inside of his cheek, but merely sent them a small smile before bowing. He walked away towards the knight’s quarters.

“Your disdain for him is obvious.” Minseok teased.

Kyungsoo rolled his eyes, “He isn’t my most favorite person in the world.”

Jongin snickered, “He can be a nuisance, but one can’t deny he is an excellent knight.”

Kyungsoo scoffed, “If it weren’t for that, then I would have asked my father to rid of him a long time ago.”


	4. Chapter 4

Kyungsoo began his morning just like any other, he bathed, got dressed, and ate breakfast. Only this morning he had assigned himself to look over the crops of his kingdom.

“Your highness, would you like me to assemble your horse?” The stable boy asked as Kyungsoo took his arrows and bow.

“Yes, please do. And don’t forget, Minseok and Jongin are coming with me as well.” The place where the crops resided was known to be a bit far from the castle. Usually, Kyungsoo wouldn’t mind walking to it, but he felt anxious. He wanted to see exactly what was happening.

The stable boy bowed to him before scurrying away.

“Kyungsoo,”

Kyungsoo’s back was turned towards the voice, but only a few people addressed him so informally: some of the townspeople and his knights. The slight pout in the tone of voice was easy to distinguish who it belonged to.

Kyungsoo turned around to see Jongin with an apple in hand. He was chewing on a piece he had just bitten off. He had a sword by his side and was wearing his dark attire used when he would travel.

“What time do you think we’ll be back?” Jongin asked as he walked towards him.

Kyungsoo shrugged, “I’m not sure.” He didn’t know how grave the situation was. If it was very bad, he may want to stay longer.

“Taemin wanted to race me, he thinks his horse is so much faster than mine.”

Kyungsoo scoffed, “So, you’re worried about a race?”

Jongin shook his head, “No, I’m just saying.”

Kyungsoo walked by him, “Let’s go, our horses are ready to mount.”

Minseok was already atop of his own horse when they arrived. He was dressed in the same attire Jongin was. “Ready?” Minseok asked.

Kyungsoo’s horse was waiting for him next to Minseok’s. Kyungsoo climbed on with ease and patted the brown mane.

Jongin followed shortly after, adjusting himself as his horse waited for a command. “Ready!” Jongin answered.

The trio rode off towards the sun. Some may say that riding a horse could be a little nerve wracking, but Kyungsoo loved the feeling of the wind as it pushed against him. As a child, he learned that the first step to riding a horse properly, was to gain trust and confidence with it. You needed to treat your horse with respect and care. At first, the horse starts off with dislike, but after much patience and determination, it grows to love its rider.

The trio ultimately arrived at the plantation, it didn’t take very long, although they managed to get sidetracked. Jongin insisted they stop at the marketplace to buy some sweets.

Someone was standing by the crops, a small hat was on his head to help block out the sun. He turned his head as he heard the sound of hooves. The trio recognized the friendly smile anywhere.

“Good morning!” Hoseok yelled out cheerfully.

Kyungsoo got off of his horse first and approached him, a full smile on his lips. “Good Morning Hoseok.” He replied happily.

“What bring his highness and his guardians to me today?” He asked as he straightened himself out. There was dirt on his clothes and his face. “If I would have known you were coming, I would have gotten ready for you.”

Minseok followed after Kyungsoo, “Nonsense Hoseok, you look fine.”

“You are too kind.” Hoseok replied as he gave them a slight bow.

Jongin came up from behind, “Enough with the formality.” He added with a chuckle.

Hoseok merely let out a laugh. “What brings you around here today?”

“I wish to see the crops that you say have been dying.” Kyungsoo answered.

“Oh, that’s on the Eastern side of the plantation.” Hoseok answered. “I’ll happily lead you towards them.” He adjusted his straw hat and brushed off some of the dirt from his shirt.

“Has it gotten any better?” Kyungsoo asked as he walked next to Hoseok, his knights following closely behind.

“Honestly…no. It seems to have gotten worse.”

“Worse?” Kyungsoo asked, worry in his voice. Hoseok lived on a farm, the plantation was but a few steps away and when they arrived, it was indeed terrible. The plantation had not a single sign of life and instead of a vibrant green, only brown could be seen. The plants that were sprouting were covered in a light brown, as if they had not been watered properly. Some portion of the ground seemed as though nothing had been planted to begin with.

Kyungsoo walked through the fields with his eyebrows furrowed. He had never seen any of the plantations look like this, it looked more like a desert than a field where there was supposed to be life. He turned around and saw his knights kneeling down to get a better look at the leaves.

“Have they been watered?” Minseok asked.

Hoseok nodded, “We water them every day and use the cow manure as fertilizer, yet they continue to die.”

“What did the king say about this?” Jongin asked.

“When his knights came, they took a sample and said they would investigate.”

“Do you think an animal is eating the roots?” Kyungsoo brought up as he kneeled to get a better look at the soil. He didn’t know much about farming, but the soil seemed to be wet, as if it had just been watered.

“My father thought the same thing, so my sister and I dug deep, but found no trace of a burrow. It really is a mystery.”

Kyungsoo twisted his mouth to the side. It seemed as though the entire Eastern side was being affected. Although this might not be a problem now, if they didn’t figure out what the cause was, it might come back to haunt them in the long run.

“How do you get the water again?” Kyungsoo asked.

“The irrigation canal.” He reminded him.

Kyungsoo nodded. He had been taught this as a child, but he had never actually talked to a kingdom’s farmer about it. In all honesty, he would need to educate himself a little more on how it worked. He couldn’t ask Hoseok about it, it was supposed to be something that he knew already. He would have research about irrigation canals in his own time. He stood up but his eyes stayed locked on the ground. “Is there anything else you can tell me?”

Hoseok shook his head, “All I know is that the knights said they would try and test out the sample they took to try and figure out what was wrong.”

“Maybe we can ask them what is going on.” Minseok responded. “I’m sure they should have some kind of results, right?”

Kyungsoo nodded, “Yeah, I just need to take a ride by myself, to clear my head.”

“You don’t want us to go with you?” Jongin asked.

Kyungsoo shook his head, “I just want to be alone for a bit. Don’t worry, I’ll be at our secret spot.”

Minseok and Jongin let out a small laugh. Their secret spot was somewhere located deep in the woods. It was an old tree that was right in the center of a small clearing. The clearing was hidden behind a thick shrub and the hole to get in the clearing was behind it. It was so small, one would need to get on their hands on knees to discover it. The tree in the center was so big that as kids they would hide inside of it. They would go to the clearing when they wanted to get away from their responsibilities or when they wanted to be alone. The woods were located in between the kingdom of Solaris and Monalet, it didn’t belong to either of their lands.

“Alright, just be safe.” Jongin added.

Kyungsoo nodded, “I’ll be back before the sun sets.” With that, he went off into the distance.

***

Baekhyun got atop of his horse, unsure of where he would be able to find a lizard that wouldn’t camouflage so easily.

“You sure you’re going to be alright?” Chanyeol asked for the tenth time since breakfast.

“No, but my dad wants me to go alone.” Baekhyun answered sarcastically.

“It’s just a couple of lizards, you’ll get them in no time.” Jongdae encouraged as he stood next to Baekhyun and his horse.

Baekhyun would like to think that his words were true, but he knew better. He doubted that he would get the lizards quickly, if he got any at all.

“I hope so.” Baekhyun replied.

“You’re still here?!”

Baekhyun eyes darted from his friends over to his father who was walking briskly towards him. “You should have left already!” He told him sternly.

Baekhyun straightened up on his horse. “I was just bidding my knights goodbye father.” He replied.

“We apologize for keeping him your majesty.” Chanyeol said as he gave him a slight bow.

The king shook his head, “Baekhyun, I said after breakfast, you are to leave. You know better than to disobey me.”

Baekhyun merely put his head down, “I apologize father.” He responded. “I shall see you soon.” He said before riding off quickly. He had no choice but to give them a quick farewell, his father would surely scold him further if he dragged it out any longer.

He rode until he eventually ended up in one the woods located on the Southern side of the kingdom. It technically wasn’t a part of his kingdom, nor was it part of Monalets’. He used to come here all of the time with his knights when he was younger. The woods were like an escape from reality, that’s what they used it as. They would come here to play and explore, knowing that their parents wouldn’t find them. If they ever were to get caught, they would hide in a secret area in the woods, a clearing hidden behind a shrub. They would sneak in if they heard something and would never be found.

Baekhyun rode inside of the woods and climbed off his horse, leading him inside. The trees cast a dark shadow on the floor beneath him and the sun doesn’t shine as brightly here as it does in Solaris.

He knew that if he wanted to catch a lizard, he would need to be quiet and stealthy. Not to mention, he would need to use his two of his senses the most. His eyes needed to scan the area and his ears needed to listen intently for any kind of rustling.

He heard a rustling come from his left and his head turned. A leaf seemed to be trembling, surely a lizard was under it. He took out his bow and aimed, until ultimately releasing. He had been correct, a lizard was underneath it. But it scurried out from under the leaf, making a quick escape.

He let out a huff and stomped his foot. If he had missed a target that wasn’t even aware he was there, how was he going to catch one when it moved?

He let out a sigh and walked in further. As he walked, he saw many lizards scurrying about, but missed each one. He would instead let out a grunt and pick up his arrows in shame. He looked up at the sun that was beating down on him. It seemed as though he had been in the woods forever. He wiped the beads of sweat that were beginning to gather at his forehead.

He grew tired and a bit thirsty, perhaps it was time for a small break. He knew exactly where to go to have a seat. The secret hideout that his knights and he had claimed as theirs. It had been many seasons that they had not come back, it would be better if they were here, but he could make do without them.

His horse followed behind him but stopped in front of the shrub. Surprisingly, there was another horse already there. It was eating some of the leaves that were on the plant. It was the color of night and had a brown mane. It also seemed to have a saddle on its back. Perhaps he had run away from his rider and somehow wound up here. He let out a small chuckle as he rubbed his horse on the snout. “I’ll be right back.” He said in a soft voice. His horse merely shook his mane and went next to the horse that was eating from the shrub. Baekhyun squeezed inside of the shrub and felt slight pricks as some of the thorns dug themselves into his skin. He saw the hole and got on his hands on knees to enter. 

Once inside, he saw the clearing and the tree, it was as if it didn’t age. It still looked just as he remembered. And the stream by it still glistened beautifully under the sun. Chanyeol had once fallen in when the current was strong, but was thankfully pulled out by another boy their age. Baekhyun doesn’t remember it very well, he just remembers Chanyeol screaming for help.

He brushed some of the dirt off of his clothing and made his way towards the stream. He kneeled next to the water and splashed some on his face. He took a seat and looked into the stream, he smiled and shut his eyes. It was always peaceful here. It was as if his problems could be gone for a little while, even though in the back of his mind he worried over his assignment. But right now, he could listen to the water and let that calm down his nerves. A gasp come from behind him, interrupting his thoughts. His eyes opened in surprise, no one else was supposed to be here. His head turned around quickly.

There, a couple of feet away from him, stood the Monalet prince, Kyungsoo. He had an apple in hand and was mid chew as his eyes were wide looking at Baekhyun.

He was wearing simple attire and his dark hair was away from his eyes. Baekhyun’s eyes widened as they looked into Kyungsoo’s. He hadn’t expected anyone here and judging by Kyungsoo’s face, neither did he.

Baekhyun stood up quickly, “What are you doing here?” He demanded, his posture defensive.

Kyungsoo swallowed, “I was going to ask you the exact same thing.” He responded sternly.

Baekhyun furrowed his brows, “This is my secret place!”

Kyungsoo scoffed, “Says who? The spoiled little prince of Solaris?”

Baekhyun blinked in surprise. No one spoke to him that way.

“Besides,” Kyungsoo continued, “I been coming here since I was a kid. So, it’s my place.”

Baekhyun let out a pout and then released a sigh, “I don’t have time to argue with you. I’m on a mission, unlike you, who is being very immature.”

Kyungsoo scoffed, “Yeah, that’s why you were sitting on your ass looking as if you were about to sleep.”

Baekhyun’s mouth opened and then he shut it. Helping him a couple of days ago was beginning to seem like a bad idea. Maybe he should have left the Monalet prince get even more lost then he was.

“Next time you’re lost, don’t expect me to help you.” Baekhyun retorted. From the corner of his eye he saw a rustling, he knew he shouldn’t have, but the Monalet prince had such a big head. If he could take out his bow and arrow and get the lizard, that would surely shut him up. So, without thinking, he turned his body towards the lizard and shot an arrow at it. He missed miserably, the lizard escaped without a single scratch. To make matters worse, his arrow landed in the stream. Baekhyun winced as he heard a laugh come from Kyungsoo. He shut his eyes and twisted his mouth to the side, slowly tilting his head towards the latter.

Kyungsoo wore an amused smile on his lips and a raised eyebrow. “Wow.” He said teasingly.

Baekhyun let out a scoff. “Yeah, ‘cuz you can do better right?”

Kyungsoo scoffed in return and lifted up his bow and aimed for somewhere behind Baekhyun. He released an arrow and Baekhyun’s eyes followed it. He hit a lizard right in the head, causing it to fall to the floor from the rock that it had been climbing. The lizard had been at least a couple of feet away from them.

“I could do better.” Kyungsoo responded.

Baekhyun’s eyes darted towards him, unable to utter a single a word. His mouth just fell open, but he shut it.

“You need practice, a lot of it.” Kyungsoo told him as he slung his bow behind his back.

Baekhyun gulped, unsure of what to say.

“You can look away now.” Kyungsoo told him.

A thought crossed Baekhyun’s mind. But he shook it away quickly. He looked up at the sun that was directly above their heads. He had been hunting down lizards since the sun was barely making itself known. He was now almost halfway done with the day. He looked back at Kyungsoo, who was sitting by the tree looking at him.

“How are you so comfortable? What if I try to attack you?” Baekhyun asked.

Kyungsoo sent him a snarky smile. “I just saw how you can’t handle a bow and arrow. Name one reason why I should be scared.” He leaned further into the tree and placed one leg over the other, “I can wait.”

Baekhyun let out a huff and looked away. He didn’t know if he would regret saying what was on his mind, but he needed help. There was no way he would make it home before it got dark. He looked straight at Kyungsoo and furrowed his brows, “You owe me.” He told him sternly.

Kyungsoo raised an eyebrow, “I don’t owe you anything.”

Baekhyun crossed his arms, “Yes you do. If it wasn’t for me, you would have been stranded in my kingdom defenseless.”

Although Kyungsoo hated to admit it, he was right. Baekhyun helped him when he was most vulnerable, instead of slaughtering him like they had been raised to do one day.

“You owe me.” Baekhyun repeated, this time stretching out every syllable.

Kyungsoo bit his lip, “What do you want?”

“Teach me how to work a bow and arrow.”

Kyungsoo laughed, “What?”

“You heard me. Teach me to hit targets with ease. I know you can.”

Kyungsoo twisted his mouth to the side, “Of course I can. But helping you will take days, if not a whole season.”

“Then let’s get started.” Baekhyun said as he reached for his bow.

“What’s in it for me?”

Baekhyun furrowed his brows again. “Nothing, you owe me.”

Kyungsoo shook his head, “You only helped me once and it didn’t even take a day.”

“I saved your life!”

“I wouldn’t say that.”

Baekhyun let out an exasperated sigh, “Listen, I need help and you have a debt to repay. It’s a win-win situation.”

Kyungsoo stood up, “Fine, I’ll help you. But, you are to obey me in everything, understand?”

Baekhyun nodded, “And you have to promise not to try and kill me.”

Kyungsoo’s mouth twitched and he brought up his hand to massage the bridge of his nose, “If we are going to make this work, you need to trust me.”

“Promise me!”

Kyungsoo furrowed his brows at him once again, “How do I know you won’t try to kill me?” He shot back.

“If I wanted to, I would have done it already!”

Kyungsoo scoffed, “And the same goes for me. Do you understand how easy it would be for me right now?”

Baekhyun couldn’t deny, that he was right. Kyungsoo had just demonstrated that he was trained well in terms of using a bow and arrow. If he so much as aimed for Baekhyun, the elder would be dead within seconds. “Alright, do we have a deal?” Baekhyun asked.

“We must be wary and not be seen by our kingdoms.”

“Well that one is obvious.” Baekhyun remarked as he rolled his eyes. Monalets were so stupid.

Kyungsoo’s mouth twitched again, “And, I’m only helping you today. I only owe you a day.”

“You said it would take days!”

Kyungsoo rolled his eyes, “I shouldn’t even be helping you at all! You pompous and egocentric donkey.”

Baekhyun gritted his teeth, “Shut up! Stupid Monalet, all you people do is start fights!”

Kyungsoo scoffed and turned around, “I don’t have time for your immature ways.” He headed towards the hole that they entered from, but Baekhyun ran in front of him before he could get to it.

“We already made a deal! Or are you going to go back on your word?”

Kyungsoo’s jaw clenched and his fists tightened. He could easily get rid of this pest with his bow right now. Baekhyun was practically defenseless with his awful skills. But, his parent’s words continued in the back of his mind. He was to be kind and patient towards anyone and everyone.

He let out a sigh and let his body relax, “Fine, but we need to make conditions.”

“Conditions?”

Kyungsoo nodded, “I can have a short temper, and therefore you need to watch what you say.”

Baekhyun twisted his mouth to the side, “Fine, but just know you started it. I won’t say anything if you won’t.”

“Deal.”

***

The princes both made their way out of the woods atop their horses. Their horses waited eagerly for their return, prancing around when they finally emerged.

“Where are we going exactly?” Kyungsoo asked as they came out of the woods.

“The swamp in between the forest of trolls.”

Kyungsoo stopped, “I’m not going to the forest of trolls!”

Baekhyun turned around. “Why not? There is a lot of lizards there!”

Kyungsoo shook his head, “A forest with trolls, forget it!” Kyungsoo doesn’t believe in such things, but if a forest was named that, he refused to enter.

Baekhyun scoffed, “You’re kidding right? Surely you have gone in.”

Kyungsoo stayed silent and that’s when Baekhyun realized, Kyungsoo hadn’t gone in. It was so close to Monalet’s kingdom, it struck him as odd.

“You really haven’t gone in?” Baekhyun asked in disbelief.

“Why should I go in?”

“Because it’s closer to your kingdom than mine. And it’s important for you to know the areas surrounding your kingdom.”

Kyungsoo blinked and looked away. He felt slightly embarrassed that Baekhyun knew the land better than him. It was even more embarrassing that he knew an area that was nearer to his kingdom.

“Just lead the way Baekhyun.”

Baekhyun twisted his mouth to the side and continued forward. He couldn’t believe that a prince could be so ignorant about terrain surrounding his kingdom. Perhaps if they were heading towards Solaris he would understand, but he assumed if they headed to a place closer to Monalet, Kyungsoo would be more knowledgeable.

“You sneak out a lot huh?” Kyungsoo asked as he caught up next to him.

“Yes. I learned the terrain on my own.”

“How much do you know?”

Baekhyun looked up as he thought. “A fair amount I suppose. My knights and I sneak out a lot.”

Kyungsoo chuckled, “I have always been guarded well.”

“Me too. But you found your way into that hidden clearing, so you must have sneaked out at least once.”

This Kyungsoo could not deny. “My knights and I used it as a place to escape responsibilities.”

Baekhyun smiled at him, “Same with me! My knights and I went there a lot.”

Kyungsoo let a small smile make its way on his lips, but quickly hid it away. He looked ahead, “Are we close?”

Baekhyun nodded, “Yes, the lagoon is up ahead in that forest.”

The forest looked dark and unwelcoming to say the least. The trees hung over it as though guarding it from something.

“It’s called forest of trolls because it’s so hideous.” Baekhyun stated.

Kyungsoo could definetly see that. The trees were tall and draped over it, probably terrifying to come at night because it would be pitch black inside.

They made their way inside and ended up at the swamp in no time at all. They both climbed off of their horses and walked towards the swamp in the center.

“Alright, let’s start.”  Baekhyun said.

Kyungsoo looked over at him, “You need to have confidence in yourself first.”

“Huh?”

“That’s lesson one. If you think you won’t be able to do it, you won’t. I noticed when you shoot, it’s almost as though you’re scared of disappointing.”

A rustle was heard by a tree and they both turned to it.

“Just pull back, aim, and concentrate. Don’t focus on anything else.” Kyungsoo shot and got the lizard easily. It didn’t have any time to even realize what was happening. Baekhyun smiled and ran towards it, taking it and putting it inside of a small bag that was tied to the saddle of his horse. He just needed three more.

“Alright, my turn.”

“That’s just lesson one.”

Baekhyun shook his head, “I got it.” He pulled his bow back and shot at another lizard he saw, missing.

“You’re too impatient.” Kyungsoo commented. “You need patience, you’re barely learning.”

Baekhyun pouted, “I need five lizards.”

Kyungsoo chuckled, “You can’t get them today. They’re too agile and you’re not at that skill level yet. You’re going to have to practice on inanimate objects. Let’s practice by aiming at a certain spot on a tree.”

Baekhyun sighed, “Kyungsoo, you don’t understand. I can’t go home until I get five lizards.”

“What do you mean?”

Baekhyun looked away into the swamp. His eyes had gotten sad and Kyungsoo saw it right away. “My father commanded that I bring home five lizards, if not, I sleep with the cattle. I can’t enter the castle until I bring him five lizards.”

Kyungsoo saw the look of desperation on Baekhyun’s face. He didn’t know much about the Solaris prince, but there was something about him. He seemed too kind, as if he wanted nothing to do with violence. How could Kyungsoo not help someone like that?

Without even trying, Kyungsoo turned around and aimed for three lizards, hitting them in succession each time. They fell to the ground and he turned back to face Baekhyun. “Listen, the deal was to help you get better, I can’t do that if your focus is elsewhere. Pick up those lizards, put them in your bag, and get ready to practice. We have a long day ahead of us.”

Baekhyun’s eyes widened, “You…got me the last three I needed?”

Kyungsoo turned away, “Hurry up! We need to start!”

Baekhyun still didn’t fully trust the Monalet prince, but he could admit, that he was someone of his word. Anyone else might have simply taught him small things and then left. Kyungsoo seemed adamant on helping him, just by this, Baekhyun could see he was at least a somewhat honest person

“Alright.” Baekhyun replied as he ran to get the lizards. He picked them up one by one and placed them into his bag. “I’m ready.”

Kyungsoo looked at him and begun training the prince, beginning from lesson one. Time flew by as they practiced and next thing they knew the sun was starting to set.

They only realized it because they were unable to see the target they had made using the red of raspberries.

“Seems like it’s time to go.” Kyungsoo told him as he placed his bow behind his back.

Baekhyun looked over at him, panting as he was out of breath, “Will you help me again?”

Kyungsoo’s gaze drifted towards him, “The deal was one day.”

Baekhyun pouted, “But I’m still nowhere near your level.”

Kyungsoo shrugged, “Not my problem.”

Baekhyun bit his bottom lip, there was no way he would ever beg the Monalet prince. But he wanted his help. He was so talented and knew how to explain so well.

Kyungsoo looked up at the sky that was beginning to fade into a dark blue. “Well…what if we make a negotiation?”

Baekhyun blinked, “Negotiation?”

“You show me around the land and I’ll help you with your archery skills.”

Baekhyun’s eyes widened, “That’s it?”

Kyungsoo looked at him, “But, we can’t let anyone know about it. We must keep this a secret between us.”

Baekhyun smiled from ear to ear, suddenly feeling a burst of happiness. “Deal!”

“We would need to wear clothes that hide our faces well.”

Baekhyun nodded, “When can I see you again? Next time, I can take you towards the mountains.”

“Meet me at the secret clearing the day after tomorrow when the sun is beginning to rise.”

Baekhyun nodded, “Alright Monalet. I’m putting my full trust in you.”

“As am I.” Kyungsoo replied.

***

Baekhyun arrived to his castle by horseback that night. He bid his horse goodnight after putting him into the stable and headed for the entrance of his home. He came with a grin on his face and extra bounce in his step as he walked towards his castle.

“Did you get them?” Jongdae asked as he rushed outside to meet Baekhyun. His knights had been waiting eagerly for his return on the balcony. Once they saw the sun set, they rushed onto it so they would be able to see when he arrived.

“Yup.” Baekhyun responded as he removed the bag from his horse’s saddle. “All five.”

Chanyeol reached out and grabbed it. He opened it to reveal the five lizards he was supposed to catch. His eyes widened and his face turned to look at Baekhyun, “How did you do it?” Chanyeol asked, he had been worried that Baekhyun wouldn’t be able to pull it off. Jongdae and he had prayed to the Sun Goddess to bring him back with five lizards before it got too dark. Then when they saw the sun set, he and Jongdae contemplated sneaking him into the knight’s quarters if all didn’t go well. It was shocking to see that he had managed to accomplish the mission. Baekhyun hadn’t done so well when they were training on their own time.

Baekhyun shrugged, “I just focused.” The young prince knew that if it had not been for Kyungsoo, he wouldn’t have been able to sleep at his castle tonight. Maybe, if they weren’t natural born enemies, he could see him as a friend. But sadly, Kyungsoo was his enemy and therefore, were only doing these favors for each other for their own personal gain. Not because they could ever be more than enemies.

***

“Kyungsoo’s back!” Taemin announced as he ran into the knight’s quarters.

Minseok and Jongin stood up and quickly ran outside, Kyungsoo was walking his horse back to the stable. He was locking him up when his knights went up to him. Once Jongin saw him, he smiled from ear to ear and ran to stand next to him.

“We were about to go searching for you.” Jongin stated as he stood next to him.

Kyungsoo scoffed, “What about your race with Taemin?”

Jongin chuckled, “That was over long ago. I won by the way.”

Kyungsoo closed the door of the stable and looked back at Jongin, “Congratulations.” He walked ahead of the both of them, Minseok caught up with him.

“Kyungsoo, the king wants to speak with you. He’s hoping that maybe you can help come up with something to help with the vegetation problem.”

Kyungsoo stopped in his tracks, “Weren’t they examining the plants?”

Minseok nodded, “They can’t find a reason behind it. We assumed that’s what you were doing out there alone, thinking of a plan right?”

Kyungsoo swallowed, “Of course.” Although the situation was one that needed to be solved, it wasn’t as grave as one may think. Since it was only the Eastern side, they still had enough food for the kingdom and there was still enough work for the farmers as well. The thought that troubled them is that they couldn’t understand why it was happening. They weren’t sure if perhaps it would spread and somehow infect all of their crops. If that was the case, they would need to find a new place to plant the crops. As of right now, until they find what was wrong, they needed to continue watering them and hope for the best. “I shall speak to my father right now.” He stated as he walked towards the throne room, “Oh, and I feel I may need to have a lot of alone time. Just so that I can think of this on my own.”

Minseok nodded, “Just tell us where you go.”

“It will probably just be rides around the kingdom early in the day.” Kyungsoo trusted his knights with his life, but he couldn’t tell them he would be with the Solarian prince. They would want to tag along and he needed Baekhyun. That prince would make the perfect tour guide. Kyungsoo knew that knowing the territory around his kingdom would be useful. Although he never would have imagined that a Solarian would be the one helping him, he was happy that he would be learning. Besides, that Solarian was one of the good ones. He has heard that they used to be good, but they became cruel after the argument, an argument he didn’t quite understand nor know about.


	5. Chapter 5

Baekhyun woke up that morning with his servant whispering by his ear. The prince scrunched up his face and opened his eyes slowly, revealing his female servant smiling down at him. “Good morning your highness, your father would like a word with you.”

Baekhyun shut his eyes and stretched out his limbs before rubbing his face, “Alright.”

“Your bath has been drawn and your clothing has been set out.” She told him.

“Thank you.” He responded as he sat up.

She bowed and walked out of his room. Baekhyun looked over to see that the clothes picked out were his garments used for training. He let out a huff and threw his head back. The king had been ecstatic when he found out that Baekhyun had caught five lizards. So ecstatic, he let Baekhyun stay longer in the knight’s quarters last night. Usually, he needed to sleep early to rise early. He knew he was only going to get more skilled with the help of the Monalet prince, but his father didn’t need to know that.

He rolled over in bed and stood up to scurry to the balcony. His kingdom really was a beautiful sight to behold. The sun shined down on it and made it look so warm and cozy, exactly how a home should feel.

He rushed into his bath and then quickly put on his garments for the day. He fixed his hair and walked quickly to where his father would be, in the dining area.

His parents sat waiting, food ready and served. Chanyeol and Jongdae looked at him, wide eyed and smiling fully.

“Good morning,” He said as he sat down.

“Baekhyun! You did amazing yesterday!” His father praised.

Baekhyun merely smiled back, “Thank you father.”

“Now, I have decided to reward you.”

Baekhyun perked up, “Oh? How so?”

“You shall go hunting with Jongdae and Chanyeol!”

Baekhyun felt his heart drop to his stomach and his smiled crumbled completely.

“Unbelievable, I know!” The king remarked with a gleeful smile.

“Aren’t you excited?” Jongdae asked as he shook him, “We’re going hunting together.”

“Hunting?”

Chanyeol plopped right next to him, “His highness also said we would eat what we bring.”

Baekhyun swallowed and looked at him, “Really?” Hunting had been something the prince never wanted to do. His knights and he had gone on missions together, but never to kill something. He didn’t think he would like it and to be honest, he isn’t sure why Chanyeol was so excited. Chanyeol had a difficult time killing a fly without feeling guilty. Baekhyun couldn’t even begin to imagine how he was going to behave when he had to kill a living creature.

“Since you did so well with the lizard exercise, I want to reward you by eating whatever you bring to us for dinner tonight.” The king announced with a loud voice.

“We are so proud of you Baekhyun.” His mother added.

Baekhyun looked between his mother and father. The only time they would be proud of him, is when he did something that wasn’t him. Even as a child, they expected him to be able to kill, but he didn’t believe in that philosophy. Of course, he understood that he needed to be able to fight in case of an emergency. In addition, his kingdom needs a strong heir, but one can be a ruler without violence. In Baekhyun’s mind, violence should be the final resort when all else fails.

The king began eating and gestured to his son’s plate. “Eat, you will need the energy for later.”

Baekhyun gave him a faint smile, “Thank you father.” He looked at the food and felt a pit in his stomach, he had suddenly lost his appetite.

***

“Your majesty,” Seunghee called out as she walked in the stable. “The basket you wanted is ready.” The trio would need a basket for their hunting trip. They needed something to put their catches in. It was hand woven by the basket weaver in the kingdom. She was very talented and able to make them sturdy. Her family had been doing this for many generations. She was just as talented as her mother and her grandmother.

The Solarian prince climbed onto his horse, followed by his knights shortly after. His eyes looked over at her. “Thank you. You may hand it to me.” He told her.

She nodded and quickly handed it to the prince. It was the kingdom’s colors, orange and yellow. It had the sun engraved on the top.

“May the Sun Goddess bless your expedition.” She said as she gave them a small courtesy.

Chanyeol smiled down at her. “Thank you. May the Sun Goddess bless you and your family.”

“The knights will escort you back home.” Baekhyun told her. “Are you comfortable on a horse?”

She smiled, “Of course.”

One of the knights stood behind her, waiting to take her home.

“Taeyong!” Baekhyun called out.

The knight in question straightened up, “Yes sir?”

“Please make sure she gets home safely.”

He bowed, “Yes sir.”

He extended his arm out towards her and she took it, sliding her arm into it easily. They both walked away from the stable and towards the town.

“Which forest should we go to?” Jongdae asked as he patted his horse’s mane.

“Let’s try Solarian forest, there’s a lot of rabbits there.” Chanyeol responded.

It would be Chanyeol and Baekhyun’s first hunting trip, but Jongdae had been on a lot of them. His parents had been in charge of hunting expeditions for the kingdom. But, they were caught in an accident with a bear costing their lives. This led their newborn son to be adopted by the knights and given the task of becoming the prince’s knight. Although he was a knight, they wanted to respect his parent’s wishes by teaching Jongdae how to hunt. He would join in hunting expeditions once in a while, but Chanyeol and Baekhyun had yet to do anything like it.

“Solarian forest can be a little loud sometimes, but a challenge is fun.” Jongdae replied. There was no question who would be the leader of the hunting expedition.

Chanyeol straighted up and smiled eagerly, “Alright, all ready?”

Jongdae didn’t even bother answering, instead he ran ahead of the both of them. Baekhyun and Chanyeol watched wide eyed but quickly ran behind him. Jongdae was leading the both of them into the forest that he thought would be best for this trip, Chanyeol and Baekhyun simply trusted him. Jongdae was brilliant when it came to landscaping and hunting. He was someone very reliable, Baekhyun was glad that they became best friends as children, he was a loyal person. Baekhyun would forever cherish their friendship.

Jongdae eventually stopped in front of the Solarian forest. Baekhyun and Chanyeol stopped right in front of him. “We have to leave our horses by the entrance. The horses make too much noise and we need to be quiet.”

Chanyeol climbed off his horse eagerly, arrows behind his back and bow in hand. He patted his horse on the snout, “I’ll be right back.” He whispered. His horse shook his mane and Chanyeol let out a small chuckle. The knight had a way with animals, Baekhyun wasn’t sure if he would be able to handle this hunting trip.

The trio left their horses by the entrance of the forest, Jongdae led them inside.

“The trick is,” Jongdae began “to be very quiet, we don’t want to miss anything.”  A rustle was heard and Jongdae quickly got down on his knees. Baekhyun and Chanyeol followed pursuit behind him.

“What was that?” Chanyeol asked.

Jongdae pierced his lips together, “Stay here.” He said. “Watch and learn.”

He made his way towards a tree and kneeled next to it, making sure that his body was well hidden behind it. Baekhyun had never seen Jongdae hunt before, he looked so much like a professional.

Jongdae peeked his head out and in less than a second, aimed his bow and shot two arrows consecutively behind each other. If Baekhyun would have blinked, he may have missed it, Jongdae was quick. The knight smiled wide and stood up, running towards whatever he had just aimed at.

Baekhyun and Chanyeol looked at each other, then quickly stood. They caught up to him as he kneeled down. He sent them a wide smile and lifted up two dead squirrels.

Baekhyun’s mouth dropped and Chanyeol’s eyes widened.

“How did you see them?” Baekhyun asked.

Jongdae shrugged, “Experience helps.” He said as he placed them in the basket.

His eyes darted to Baekhyun and then they widened, “Baekhyun! Behind you!” He yelled. Jongdae aimed his bow for something behind Baekhyun, Chanyeol took out his sword, ready to fight. Baekhyun reached for his own sword and turned around swiftly, but there was nothing behind him.

His eyes darted around, scanning for anything that seemed suspicious or out of place.

“What did you see?” Chanyeol asked as he kept his sword up, he had pushed Baekhyun behind him once Jongdae had sounded the alarm.

A snicker was heard, and then a full on chortle. That was when Baekhyun realized…Chanyeol and he had just been pranked.

Baekhyun smiled and turned around, Jongdae was holding his stomach as he laughed out loud.

“Very funny.” Baekhyun answered sarcastically.

“You guys looked so funny! Do you think a bear will attack or something?” He leaned against a tree to keep his balance, hand covering his mouth.

Chanyeol punched the knight’s arm, causing Jongdae to stumble a bit. “Don’t joke like that! I really didn’t know what to expect.”

Jongdae snickered at him, “It was a just a joke, calm down.”

Chanyeol scoffed, “Just wait Jongdae, there is still plenty of day left.”

“Look how I shiver,” Jongdae replied sarcastically, smug smile never leaving his face.

Chanyeol smirked back and tackled him to the ground, they both landed on soft grass. The two of them began to playfully wrestle on the ground, grass flying in all directions. Baekhyun laughed and threw himself on top of them. Times like these were the best. Baekhyun loved when they could simply behave like friends. He didn’t need to worry about his prince image and they didn’t need to worry about their image as knights. They could simply be themselves, these were Baekhyun’s favorite times.

They laughed and grunted as Baekhyun and Chanyeol teamed up against Jongdae. But quickly they perked up when the heard a rustle from their left. Their heads turned towards the sound and the three were on their feet in a heartbeat. Baekhyun took out his sword, while his knights stood in front of him, bows ready to fire.

A rabbit jumped out and Jongdae quickly shot it. Chanyeol relaxed but they heard a flock of birds begin to flap their wings. Chanyeol instinctively turned his head and shot one before it could take flight, killing it instantly.

“You got it!” Jongdae congratulated as he ran towards it.

Chanyeol ran after him and they both stood over the dead animal.

Baekhyun patted his shoulder, “Nice one.” He said as he kneeled with Jongdae. Chanyeol remained standing, eyes wide.

The quail lay on the floor. “Quails are really good.” Jongdae stated.

Baekhyun smiled, “They are.” He could already taste the way the chef makes her specialty.

“Did…I do that?” Chanyeol asked from behind them.

“You sure did!” Jongdae replied happily.  He stood up and handed it to Chanyeol who took it into his hands with hesitation.

“Your first kill!” Jongdae congratulated. 

Chanyeol’s mouth was slightly ajar and he shut his eyes and gave it back to Jongdae. He leaned against a tree, “Hey, I don’t want to do this.”

Baekhyun and Jongdae looked at each other, then back at their friend, “Hey, what’s wrong?” Jongdae asked.

Chanyeol opened his mouth but then shut it, swallowed, then spoke, “I thought I would be able to do this, because I’m a knight.”

Baekhyun stood up slowly, “You forced yourself to come?”

“I thought…maybe….that if I willed myself enough, I could get over this. I thought I could do it.” Chanyeol bit his bottom lip. “I’m sorry. I’m weak.”

Baekhyun blinked in surprise. He knew that Chanyeol would have a tough time with this expedition. He couldn’t understand why he was so enthusiastic to begin with. But now he realized, he was never enthusiastic about it. He was coming along because the king had told him to. He was living up to the king’s expectations, just like Baekhyun had to. 

“Chanyeol, you don’t have to do this.”

Chanyeol looked up at Baekhyun, “But, the king—“

“The king is MY father. You are MY knight. I decide what you have to do. And I am telling you that if you are uncomfortable, you don’t have to do this. That’s a direct order from your prince!” He told him sternly.

Chanyeol’s eyes widened and Baekhyun’s face softened into a smile, “And a friendly suggestion from a friend.”

Chanyeol’s friendly smile began to shine, “Yes sir!” He replied playfully.

Jongdae laughed, “Just hold on to the basket. Baekhyun and I can do it. Just look away when you see us walking towards you.”

Chanyeol nodded and took the basket in his hands. “Yes sir!”

Baekhyun smiled at him. He knew the feeling of doing something that goes completely against your own personal beliefs. If he could, he would do his best to make sure no one in his kingdom had to feel that way.

 “Let’s go in deeper.” Jongdae lead the way inside, going deeper into the forest. Animals would come around, Jongdae would shoot them and place them inside the basket.

“Hey Baekhyun, have I been hogging?” Jongdae asked when the sun was overhead.

Baekhyun perked up, “Hm?”

“You haven’t caught anything, you can have the next one.” Jongdae told him with a smile.

“No, it’s fine Jongdae.” Baekhyun reassured.

“Nonsense!” Jongdae answered, “You did so well yesterday. I’m honestly curious to watch you.”

“I see…um…”

“Unless you lied.” Chanyeol teased from behind them, using both of his hands now to hold the basket.

Baekhyun blinked twice and looked over at him, “Well, honestly…”

The knights stopped in their tracks, both of their eyes darting towards him. Baekhyun let out a nervous chuckle.

“You didn’t get the lizards on your own?”

“Well…” There was two options for Baekhyun right now. He could tell partial truth and say that he did in fact cheat to get the lizards by finding ones that were already dead. Or option two: come clean and tell them that he met the Monalet prince and not only did he catch them for him, but trained him in archery. In addition, he had made an appointment to see him tomorrow in the morning. As he weighed his options in his mind he realized that there was no way he could tell them about the Monalet prince, not yet anyway. They would never be able to understand that he wasn’t all that bad. Baekhyun actually found him to be a kind person, a little rough on the edges, but not too bad.

“I may have lied a little.” Baekhyun responded.

“Explain!” They both said in unison.

Baekhyun flinched, “Alright! The lizards I found were already dead!”

His knight’s mouths dropped, “You lied to your dad?”

“He said I couldn’t come home! I had to!”

They couldn’t help but let out a chuckle, “You know…we knew you would fail.” Chanyeol teased.

“Huh?”

Jongdae snickered at him, “We even laid out hay for you to sleep in the knight’s quarters with us. You could watch as we slept comfortably as you tossed and turned on the horse’s meal.”

Baekhyun’s eyes widened, but then his face relaxed into a smile. “Thanks for the faith in me.”

“It was either the knight’s quarters, or hard floor in the cattle’s home.” Jongdae responded back, teasing tone in his voice.

Baekhyun turned away, “I slept fine in my room, thank you very much.”

“Unless….we tell your dad today…”

Baekhyun turned around, eyes wide, “You wouldn’t!”

Jongdae and Chanyeol laughed, Baekhyun couldn’t see the joke. “Calm down, we won’t tell on you.” Chanyeol began. “But what are you going to do when your dad asks you to shoot something in front of him?” Chanyeol asked as he stood next to him.

Baekhyun bit his bottom lip, “I did practice on my own in the forest. I think I got a little better.”

Chanyeol dropped the basket on the floor, “Show us!” he yelled enthusiastically.

“I’m not a pro, I just practiced a little bit yesterday.”

Jongdae stood next to him, facing a tree. “Well we can help you. We can be your own personal trainers.”

Baekhyun let out a giggle, “Fine, but in front of everyone else, I’m already a professional. Deal?”

Chanyeol shoved him playfully, “Liar.” He teased.

“Ya!” Baekhyun yelled as he aimed for a certain area in the tree.

***

“Are you ready yet?” The queen asked her son.

Kyungsoo opened his eyes and looked himself in the mirror, a dark blue gown draped over him. A stern prince stared back at him. He stood up from his seat and turned to face his mother. “Yes.” He replied. Today was the day he would be heading towards the temple to ask the Moon God for his blessing for the moon festival that was fast approaching.

“Don’t forget to ask for a wonderful night and most importantly, a beautiful partner by your side.”

Kyungsoo chuckled, “I will ask for the clear night.” The moon festival was held every year under the full moon. It was a day when the kingdom came together and danced under the moonlight. There would be food and laughter all around. It took place outside and it was a kind of a thank you towards the Moon God for another year full of prosperity.

“Well, we can always just wait until next year, right?” The queen was talking about bringing a partner to this moon festival. The moon festival was not only a worshipping ceremony, but a celebration in which someone brought their love interest. It was said, that the Moon God used to be human and once loved someone so much, he sacrificed himself because he was unable to be with her. He became the Moon God in hopes that one day he would be able to guide his lover when she came back in reincarnation. So, he watches over everyone in Monalet, in hopes that she will be reincarnated into the kingdom once again. Because of this, if one brought their love interest with them to the moon festival, then he would give the couple his blessing so that they could have their happily ever after.

“We can wait until next year.” Kyungsoo answered.

His mother released a small giggle and dusted imaginary dust off his outfit. “No rush my prince.” She told him.

Kyungsoo smiled back at her, “My knights are waiting for me outside.” He said as he walked past the queen. “I’ll see you when I get back.”

His mother waved him off, gentle smile on her lips.

Kyungsoo walked through his castle in hurried steps. His knights should be in the front, dressed in their formal attire. They were headed to a place in which they needed to look presentable. Ever since Kyungsoo was a child, he went to the temple to ask for a good clear sky so the moon festival could take place without any problem.

“Kyungsoo!”

Kyungsoo winced, he recognized that voice anywhere, much to his disdain.

The lead knight caught up with him, “We have been examining the plant and it seems as though there is nothing wrong with it.”

Kyungsoo turned around, eyebrows furrowed, “Before you begin telling me whatever you need to say, I would like to begin by telling you something. You address me formally, do you understand?”

“Of course, but I have something important to say. Surely the prince will understand.”

“If you have not found anything wrong with the plant, then you need to let my father know. I have to ask for blessings from the Moon God today.”

“We need to investigate the Eastern region more. I think you would be the best to come with me.”

Just the mere thought of being alone with the head knight made Kyungsoo bristle up. He would only be alone with him in a dire situation. “Please, discuss this with my father. I will do as he tells me.”

“Your majesty, your father would trust your judgement.”

“Very well. My judgement tells me to lead a small selection to the Eastern region and investigate the land. I don’t need you, therefore you would not be one that I would select.”

The knight’s eyes widened, “But…I need—“

“As I said earlier, discuss it with my father. I have other matters to attend to today. I gave you what I would do.” Kyungsoo turned around, turning his back to him. He couldn’t understand why the head knight would come to him and report the results before going to his father. It is common knowledge that those in the castle tell the king about these matters. The prince was told only if the king was nowhere to be found. The king was supposed to know everything going on, only a fool would believe telling the prince first was a priority.

He walked outside, his knights were standing by one of the trees in front of the castle. Its blue flowers were swaying softly with the breeze. Minseok and Jongin looked over at him, smile bright on their faces.

“Ready?” They asked.

Kyungsoo nodded, “Yes.”

He walked towards them and got in between them. They were supposed to take a carriage, but Kyungsoo was against the idea. He believed that if his citizens could walk around the kingdom, then he could too. He didn’t need to be riding around a carriage, he could walk just like everyone else.

“You look fine this morning.” Jongin teased.

Kyungsoo chuckled, “Shut up.”

“Trying to get a partner for the festival?” Minseok chimed in.

Kyungsoo rolled his eyes, “Don’t mistake me for yourselves.”

The trio walked through the streets of the kingdom. Everyone was barely starting to get up to begin their daily routine. He could hear soft whispers through the windows as people woke up their loved ones. Even his nose was picking up on scents, the smell of fresh bread being made by the bakery. The door was wide open, causing the aroma to waft their way. 

“Can we get bread?” Asked Jongin, already walking towards the bakery.

Minseok laughed, “Do we have a choice?”

Kyungsoo had to admit, the bread smelled heavenly. Seulgi must have woken up very early to make the dough.

They walked inside and looked around, the oven was on and they saw Seulgi taking out the bread. She held the baking paddle tightly within her grip so that it wouldn’t fall off.

“Hey Seulgi!” Jongin greeted.

Seulgi jumped and nearly dropped the bread onto the floor. She regained her balance and turned around, eyes wide. “Hello.”

“Are you alright?” Minseok asked.

Seulgi straightened up and placed the bread onto the counter. The trio leaned in and inhaled the delectable scent. Steam was still rising from it, Kyungsoo felt his mouth water.

“I’m fine, no thanks to Jongin.” She sent a playful eyebrow raise towards the younger knight.

Jongin laughed, “Sorry, I got excited when I saw you.” He threw his baby bear pout and eyes at her, earning a giggle from the baker. They used to play together as kids sometimes when Kyungsoo and his knights would enter the bakery with the king and queen. He wouldn’t say they were close to Seulgi, but they did know each other pretty well.

“What can I do for you today?” She asked.

“How much for a loaf of bread?” Jongin asked.

Her eyes looked down to the bread she had just made, “For this one specifically?”

Minseok nodded, “Yes, that one.”

She sent them a smile. “Whatever his highness thinks its worth.”

Kyungsoo placed money onto the counter, “Will that cover it?”

She sent out a giggle, “Yes, that’s fine.”

The trio soon left with a slice of bread each, they needed to finish it quickly because the temple didn’t allow food inside. Since it was considered a holy place, one must not show disrespect towards the Moon God. They soon arrived to the beginning of the hill they needed to climb.

Kyungsoo heaved a sigh as he took the first step. As a kid, he would usually get carried up. But now, he had to walk up without any assistance.

“Carry me?”

He heard Jongin whine behind him.

“No.” Minseok answered flatly.

The temple itself was a sight to behold. It was where weddings and other holy ceremonies took place. It was tall and a white color that reflected nicely with the blue that shined down on it. It had dark blue designs on its walls. The door was a light brown, embroidered with blue sapphires. Kyungsoo walked inside, taking slow steps towards the altar. His knights followed behind him.

Some people were inside, praying to the Moon God for their own reasons. Kyungsoo stepped to the front of the altar and knelt down, putting his head all the way down to the floor. His knights kneeled next to him, then slowly bowed just as Kyungsoo was. The prince slowly rose to be on his knees again and looked up. There was a painting of the moon with the black figure of the moon god underneath it. He had brought blessings to his people and now the prince was asking for more, so that their festival will go on just as planned.

Kyungsoo shut his eyes and prayed. He prayed for the clear sky and prayed for the wellbeing of all his people. That they would all be happy and healthy for many more years to come. It went on like that for a bit, until Minseok tapped his shoulder. “Your highness, it is about time to depart.”

Since they were in the temple, formalities were a necessity. Minseok would never address Kyungsoo in this manner anywhere else.

Kyungsoo stood up slowly, giving the Moon God one final bow before walking away.

He walked out, but not before taking a look around the flowers that were planted around the entrance. There were small altars located outside with small figurines of the Moon God placed behind glass. Sometimes people came to these small altars to pray in private. Kyungsoo’s eyes traveled from the flowers to the closest small altar. His eyes stopped when he saw a familiar face coming out from one of the altars. He was wiping at his eyes and let out a sigh.

Kyungsoo blinked, “Jinyoung?”

The man blinked away tears and looked up, smiling. “Oh, your majesty.” He wiped away some water at the edge of his eyes. “Good morning.”

Kyungsoo sent him a small smile, “It has been a while since I have seen you. Is everything alright?”

Jinyoung straightened up and again sent the prince a smile. “Of course.” He replied.

Kyungsoo heard Minseok clear his throat from behind, the elder could see through his fib too.

Kyungsoo twisted his mouth to the side, “Are you sure? You came to the moon temple today.”

Jinyoung let out a sigh, “Well…things have been better.”

Kyungsoo tilted his head, “How so?”

Jinyoung bit his bottom lip. He seemed nervous and unsure of how to answer.

“How is Yugyeom doing?” Jongin asked. At the mention of his brother, Jinyoung visibly flinched. The trio caught it.

“He…” Jinyoung let out a long sigh, “Honestly, he isn’t doing well.”

“What’s wrong?”

“He has grown ill and I am unable to afford the herbs needed for his recovery. I was hoping that perhaps the Moon God could help me.”

Kyungsoo furrowed his brows, “What are his symptoms?”

“He has a very high fever, I am all he has left. If I don’t find some way to help him then…” His eyes darted to the ground and he wiped at them again. He let out a small sniffle as he tried to regain his composure.

Kyungsoo walked over to him, placing his hand behind his back. “If you need help, you know you can come to the palace. We make sure that everyone in the kingdom is aware of this.”

Jinyoung looked up, “What?”

“In fact, what herbs do you need? I will get them for you right now.”

Jinyoung’s watery eyes widened, “But, your majesty, I could never.”

Kyungsoo shook his head, “My main priority is to make sure everyone in the kingdom is happy and healthy.”

“But, the head knight…”

“Head knight?” Minseok questioned from behind them. Kyungsoo turned his head to look at Minseok then back at Jinyoung.

“He said…”

“What did he say?” Kyungsoo asked sternly.

“Oh please. I don’t wish to get in trouble.” Jinyoung answered frantically. “I just want to get the herbs needed, I promise to pay you back.”

Kyungsoo shook his head again, “No, no. There is no need to ever pay us back. This kingdom would be unable to run properly without the townspeople. If anything, everything we do is to repay you for the wonderful work you do for the kingdom.”

Jinyoung bowed all of the way to the floor, his head touching the floor. “Thank you your majesty.”

Kyungsoo grabbed him by the arms and pulled him up slowly, “No need for that.” He told him. Kyungsoo looked over at Jongin, who was already walking over to him with a small bag in his hand. He gave it to the prince and Kyungsoo took money out of it and placed it in Jinyoung’s hand and squeezed them tightly together. “This should be enough for whatever herbs you may need and then some. Take it and use it wisely. And give Yugyeom my kind regards when he gets better.”

Jinyoung’s eyes went wide as he looked at the sum of money just given to him. “Your majesty—“

“Please, accept it. I am giving this to you so you can help your brother.”

His eyes grew watery once again, but he willed the tears away. “Thank you your majesty.” He gave them a bow and ran towards the marketplace.

Kyungsoo looked as he took big steps down the hill and he smiled.

“Kyungsoo, we need to talk to the head knight.” Jongin said from behind him.

“Yes, we do.” The prince replied.

***

The hunting expedition was officially over and the three of them rode into the marketplace. Baekhyun had decided to take the longer route because he was in such a good mood. He wanted to ride through town and greet the villagers as he rode by. He was so excited to show his father the basket that was filled. Not only that, but his archery skills had improved slightly. Kyungsoo had taught him small tricks, such as where to look at when he was aiming at something. He knew that with the Monalet prince’s help, his skills would only grow.

“We need to get off now.” Jongdae stated as he got off the horse. It would be dangerous to ride on a horse through the village. Children had a tendency to run out without warning. Baekhyun and Chanyeol soon followed pursuit.

“My dad is going to be so happy!” Baekhyun yelled enthusiastically.

Jongdae chuckled, “I’ll tell him you caught some.”

Baekhyun giggled, “And I won’t tell how Chanyeol cried after killing one.”

Chanyeol punched his shoulder playfully, “Shut it!”

Baekhyun and Jongdae laughed and looked on ahead. Their horses were next to each one of them as they walked towards the castle.

They walked casually until they noticed a small infant walk in front of them. It seemed as though he was barely learning to walk, he tended to stumble over his own feet. He was about to fall face first onto the ground, but Chanyeol dove down to catch him before he did.

“Woah, careful.” The knight said as he straightened up with the infant in his arms. “Where did you come from?” He asked as the infant held onto him.

The baby looked up at him and opened his mouth as if to say something but shut it.

“Strange,” Baekhyun said as he looked the baby over. “I don’t recognize him.”

“Jisung!” They heard a female voice call out, causing the trio’s head to turn.

A girl by the name of Jisoo ran up to them, “I take my eyes off of him for one second and next thing I know, he’s gone.”

“Jisoo,” Chanyeol began, “This little one, is yours?”

She let out a small giggle, “Yes, my little Jisung.” She replied.

Baekhyun had actually attended her wedding, but he was unaware that she had been pregnant.

Chanyeol let out a small chuckle and handed the mother her baby, “He’s cute.”

Jisoo gave him Eskimo kisses as she shut her eyes tight, “Thank you.”

“Jisoo! I can’t find Jisung!” A male voice yelled.

Jisoo turned around, “He is right here Jiwon!”

Jiwon, her husband, ran next to her and let out a sigh of relief. He didn’t seem to notice the prince or his knights.

“Thank the Sun Goddess.” He said as he scooped Jisung up in his arms, “You gave daddy a big scare.” He cooed.

His eyes finally looked up and widened, “Oh! Your majesty!”

Baekhyun let out a laugh, “Hi Jiwon.”

Jiwon gave him a small smile, “Hello, sorry, I didn’t see you.”

Baekhyun lifted up his hand in denial, “No need for apologies.”

He dropped his hand and looked over the family and that’s when he noticed, they seemed to be skinnier than the last time he saw them. Their cheekbones were visible and their eyes seemed to be hollow. Jisung on the other hand, seemed perfectly healthy.

“So, how have you two been?” He asked.

“We have been fine.” Jiwon responded.

Baekhyun looked at Jongdae, then at Chanyeol. His eyes slowly went back to the couple. He figured he should flat out ask what they were thinking, “Have you two eaten?”

There was a slight gasp from them, then they looked at each other.

“Um…well…”

Bobby looked back at them, “Times have been tough.”

Baekhyun raised an eyebrow, “How so?”

“We…need to spend our money on Jisung. We come second.”

“Is the job you have not enough?” Baekhyun asked, concerned.

“No, no. It’s not that. It’s just…Jisung grew sick and we needed to put him first.”

Baekhyun’s eyes widened. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because it wasn’t a big deal.” Jisoo answered. “We are managing just fine.”

“You both know that we would be more than happy to help you. If you ever need any sort of assistance, please come to the castle, talk to my knights, or talk to me. Your wellbeing is my everything.”

Jisoo bit her lip and looked down.

“Please, if you ever need help, come to us.”

Baekhyun felt a tap on his shoulder, Jongdae was holding a bag full of food. He must have gone to get it from the bakery behind them.

Baekhyun took it and eagerly handed it to the couple, “Please, accept it.”

Bobby’s eyes widened, “Your majesty…I could never.”

Baekhyun shook his head, “Please, I insist. And if you ever need assistance, come to the castle. Everyone there would be more than happy to help.”

Jisoo let out a small sigh and took the food in between her hands, “Thank you your highness.”

Chanyeol walked over to Jiwon and placed his hand on his shoulder, “Hey, you know you can trust the king and queen.” His eyes went down to Jisung. “You got a family now, you need to put yourself first too.”

Jiwon bit his bottom lip and his eyes got moist. He looked down, but quickly looked back up again. “Thank you Chanyeol.”

“We need to get going, but don’t forget our conversation.” Baekhyun said.

Chanyeol walked back next to his horse. “We’ll be checking on you three.” He told them before walking off.

The couple gave them one final smile and wave before walking off to their home.


	6. Chapter 6

Dawn came sooner than Kyungsoo had anticipated. It felt as though one minute he was lying in bed under the moon. And the next, he was waking up to the sun beginning to make itself slightly visible. He promised to meet with the Solaris prince today. He splashed water on his face to wake himself up and dressed himself quickly.

Miles away, the Solaris prince was getting ready too. He got up and snuck into the stall to get his horse. He made sure to not startle the horses, he didn’t want to blow his cover. If the horses began to act up, some of the knights may wake up and ask where he was going. And Goddess forbid that his knights go with him to the clearing.

Kyungsoo arrived at the clearing a bit earlier. He left his horse by the bush and squeezed through the entrance. He looked around and saw that the Solaris prince hadn’t arrived yet. He let out a scoff and rolled his eyes. Seemed typical for a Solarian to be “fashionably” late. They were conceited and thought highly of themselves, at least that’s what Kyungsoo was taught.  

Kyungsoo set himself down on the grass, hopefully Baekhyun wouldn’t take too long.

He isn’t sure how much time passed, he felt at peace, as time had slowed down. He could have been here forever and still felt as though it was the same day. He looked down at the grass and began to think what Solaris was like. Perhaps there was a reason that Baekhyun was taking his time. He had heard that Solarians thought highly of themselves because their kingdom looked to be covered in gold. His father also claimed that they were really good liars.

What if he was being set up? What if the prince had played a joke on him and had set him up just so that he could laugh later at his castle? Or worse…what if Baekhyun was bringing his knights with him? Three against one was not a fair fight. He would surely lose if it came to a battle.

“What are you doing in here?” A voice from behind asked.

Kyungsoo turned around and saw Baekhyun behind him. His arms were crossed across his chest and he was raising his eyebrow at him.

“Waiting for you.” Kyungsoo responded as if it was the most obvious answer in the world. And in reality, it was. They had decided to meet in the clearing.

“I was waiting for you by the bush.”

Kyungsoo raised an eyebrow, “Why? We said to meet in the clearing.”

Baekhyun rolled his eyes, “Yes, but I’m going to show you around the mountains today. Why should we meet in here just to sit and then leave in five seconds?”

Kyungsoo stood up, “First off, if you thought that, then how about you tell me before I wait for you in here. And second, who said I want you to show me the mountains?”

Baekhyun let out a huff, “Fine, where do you want to go?” He placed his hands by his sides.

Kyungsoo thought and he looked back at him, “I want to see a big waterfall.”

Baekhyun sent him a smirk, “Typical, for someone of Monalet to want to see a waterfall. I heard you guys worship water, it is true?”

Kyungsoo furrowed his brows, ‘We don’t worship water! We just see it as majestic and powerful at the same time. It’s an element of nature to be admired.”

Baekhyun shrugged, “I guess so.” Baekhyun looked up as he pondered, “Very well. We still need to go up at least some mountains though….genius.”

Kyungsoo blinked and scowled at him, “You can be very annoying.”

Baekhyun smirked at him, “And you are a pain.”

Kyungsoo scoffed at him, what a hypocrite.

The both of them walked towards the small opening and crawled out. Kyungsoo remembered this being easier when he was a child. Now, it seemed like a tight squeeze.

Once out, Baekhyun got on his horse and soothed his mane. Kyungsoo did the same.

Baekhyun’s eyes quickly darted towards the other prince. “I’m known for my speed, try to keep up.”

Kyungsoo wasn’t surprised. He had noticed that Baekhyun’s movements were all agile. Even when he walked, it sometimes seemed as though he was in a rush.

Baekhyun was true to his word, in an instant he was riding away, leaving behind dust. Kyungsoo followed behind, he had learned to ride horses at a young age. But he wasn’t used to going so fast. He believed that as long as he left on time, then he could arrive at his destination going at a reasonable pace. Baekhyun obviously thought otherwise.

“Having trouble?!” He turned and saw Baekhyun smiling at him.

Kyungsoo smiled back, “Of course not!” He replied.

Baekhyun gave him a big grin, “Good, ‘cause this is nothing.”

And just like that, Baekhyun sped up again. Kyungsoo let out a small laugh, he hadn’t been challenged like this in a while. His horse could feel his energy radiating off of him and ran faster to catch up to them. Unlike before, he was unable to run next to him, but he followed closely behind.

Eventually, Baekhyun stopped in front of a steep cliff. Kyungsoo stopped just behind him. Baekhyun climbed off and rubbed his nose against his horse’s snout. “You did so well.” He murmured.

Kyungsoo got off his own horse and rubbed his snout. “Good job.” He complimented as he sent the animal a smile. “Let’s get you some water.”  He led his horse to a small water hole nearby. The horse drank happily as Kyungsoo patted his neck. “You did amazing.” He said soothingly. Baekhyun was watching him carefully, eyes curious as he saw how lovingly Kyungsoo spoke to his stead. It was a strange thing to see. Monalets weren’t kind…they were ruthless. They cared for no one but themselves and believed in only violence.

Kyungsoo’s head snapped to look at him, “What?”

Baekhyun looked back at his horse and shut his eyes, “I was debating letting my horse drink water.” He answered calmly.

“Why are you debating? Of course you should!”

Baekhyun’s head snapped back, “I know that!”

He led his horse towards the water and he eagerly bent over to drink. Baekhyun smiled wide as he gently leaned on him. “You were thirsty huh?”

“Do we need to take the horses up there?” Kyungsoo asked.

Baekhyun shook his head, “We don’t have to. We can walk.”

Kyungsoo nodded as he looked at his horse, “What’s better?”

Baekhyun pondered, “Well…it can be a little steep. It’s easy to fall if you’re not careful.”

Kyungsoo looked up the cliff, it seemed dangerous for a horse to climb up it. If the horse were to slip, there would be no way for it to be able to regain its balance.

“I usually climb it with my knights on foot. We leave our horses here.”

Kyungsoo twisted his mouth to the side, “I don’t know if it’s a good idea to leave our horses here side by side. My emblem is on it and so is yours.”

That thought hadn’t even crossed Baekhyun’s mind. It may be dangerous if their horses are caught next to each other. Who knows what someone may do.

“Then, what should we do?”

Kyungsoo looked down at the water hole, unsure of how to answer that. “What if we take the emblems off?”

“Make them look like wild horses?”

Kyungsoo nodded, “That way, we can go up and come down without a worry.”

Baekhyun beamed, “Actually, there are wild horses that run around here. It can be like a mini vacation for them and then we can come down and call for them.”

Kyungsoo smiled, “Sounds like a plan.” He quickly began to remove the emblem from his horse and then he realized…he had just gotten along quite well with Baekhyun. They had just made a plan together without any kind of bickering. His eyes slowly traveled to the Solaris prince. He had taken off the emblem and was speaking to his horse in a cute tone. He made happy facial expressions as he patted his snout and an eye smile appeared.

Kyungsoo shook his head and looked back at his horse. This was a onetime thing. They were simply using each other for personal gain, that’s all this was.

Slowly but surely, their horses joined the wild ones. They seemed shy at first as they approached, but then they integrated within the group. They seemed enthusiastic as they jumped around. Baekhyun’s smile widened as did Kyungsoo’s. Their horses were so happy, bouncing around and playing with the rest.

Baekhyun turned to face Kyungsoo, “Shall we begin?”

Kyungsoo forced his smile away, “Proceed.”

Baekhyun turned around and began to make his way up. It was a little steep, but manageable.

“Stay close, it’s easy to get lost.” Baekhyun told him.

Kyungsoo stayed closely behind him and then ultimately, walked next to him.

“How do you know so much?” Kyungsoo asked.

“What do you mean?”

“Well…you seem to know your way pretty well.”

Baekhyun snickered. “My knights and I are curious. We like to explore.” His eyes looked at Kyungsoo, “Are you and your knights close?”

Kyungsoo twisted his mouth to the side, “Of course. But we always try to invoke ourselves in kingdom matters. We don’t have time to sneak out.”

“You snuck out today, didn’t you?”

Kyungsoo let out a scoff, “You really are annoying, you know that?”

Baekhyun let out a small snicker, “I wouldn’t call it annoying…simply…stating facts in a funny way.”

Kyungsoo rolled his eyes, “Annoying.”

Baekhyun looked ahead, “I got lucky, my knights are very similar to me. So we get along really well.”

Kyungsoo had to bite his tongue to prevent himself from saying that Baekhyun knights were probably annoying too, instead, maybe he should tell him a little about his own knights. “My knights tend to be on the reserved side. But, are great once they get comfortable.”

Baekhyun looked at him, “Is that like you?”

Kyungsoo pursed his lips together, “You could say that.”

“Then…I guess…your knights aren’t too bad then.”

Kyungsoo looked over at him, Baekhyun continued to look on ahead.

“I mean, you’re alright.” Baekhyun pouted as he shrugged.

Kyungsoo let out a scoff, “I don’t know how to respond to that.” Kyungsoo suddenly felt himself sink into something and looked down to see his feet sinking.

He heard a laugh next to him and he looked at Baekhyun wide eyed, “Oh, I forgot to tell you, it’s kind of muddy here.”

Kyungsoo looked back down at his feet and tried to tug them out, but he was stuck. “Muddy?”

Baekhyun mused as he walked around him, “Or maybe its quick sand.”

Kyungsoo’s eyes widened and he began to struggle again.

“Don’t struggle, just take a deep breath and calm down.”

“Calm down!? You expect me to calm down—“ Kyungsoo lifted his leg with all his strength and it flew out, causing him to lose his balance. He struggled and ultimately ended up falling back into the mud. Kyungsoo lifted himself up quickly, flailing his arms and crawling away. He laid on the dirt, gasping for air. Last time he threw himself in mud was when he was still a young child. It had just rained and his knights and he decided it was a good idea to play in it. Staring up at the sky, he can’t remember why he enjoyed doing it in the first place.

He heard loud chuckles coming from Baekhyun and he felt anger swell up inside. He stood up and looked down at his robe, completely ruined. He threw a glare at Baekhyun, who had tears in his eyes from how much he was laughing.

“Shut up!” Kyungsoo yelled at him.

Baekhyun straightened himself up and wiped away the tears, “Are you alright?” He asked.

“Do I look alright idiot?! I should have known better than to trust a stupid Solarian!”

“Calm down, it’s just mud.”

Kyungsoo scoffed at him, “You knew what you were doing! And you still didn’t do anything!”

“I knew it was mud! I was simply teasing you! Monalets are so uptight. Learn to take a joke!”

Kyungsoo shook his head and walked towards the opposite direction.

“Where are you going?”

“Home! Find someone else to help you with your crummy archery skills.”

“But…we had a deal!”

Kyungsoo scoffed as he went to see how far up they had gone. He leaned his head over the edge and saw they had already gone quite a distance. He let out an exasperated sigh. He realized that the loud mouth had stopped talking and he turned to look at him. Baekhyun had frozen solid and his mouth was slightly ajar.

“Kyungsoo, get away from the edge.”

“No.” Kyungsoo responded firmly.

“Kyungsoo, please, come here.” Baekhyun took a step towards him.

Kyungsoo took out his sword, “Take one step closer and I won’t hesitate to kill you.”

Baekhyun stopped in his tracks and bit his bottom lip, “I’m trying to help you.”

Kyungsoo scoffed, “I highly—“ As if on cue, a tremor was felt and he heard crumbling beneath him. He looked down in horror as the small piece of land he stood on deteriorated right before his eyes. He let out a gasp as he looked back at Baekhyun, staring at him with just as much horror.

He felt his body fall and saw Baekhyun lunge forward. Kyungsoo took his sword and stabbed it into the edge of the cliff as deep as he could. He opened the eyes he hadn’t realized had shut and saw that the sword was lodged in between two rocks. He was safe…for now.

“Kyungsoo!”

He looked up and saw Baekhyun leaning over the edge. He looked around frantically and then back at Kyungsoo, “Can you climb up?”

Kyungsoo swallowed and reached one hand out to reach for a branch that was sticking out, but the rock that was holding the sword threatened to fall. If one of those rocks fell, then he was doomed. He placed both hands on the sword again. “No!”

Baekhyun let out a sigh and looked around again. Kyungsoo was too far away to reach, he needed Kyungsoo to grab onto something and then he could pull him up. But there was nothing around that was sturdy or long enough to reach him. Unless…he looked down at his robe and that’s when he saw his sword. It was definetly long enough and sturdy enough. He quickly took it out and looked at the blade. It was very sharp, he needed to find a way to cushion it a little. Quickly, he grabbed the sash around himself and tied it around tightly. It may sting when he grabbed it from there, but it was better than nothing. He tightened his grip on it and made a face as he felt the prickle against his hand.

Baekhyun leaned over again, “Kyungsoo, grab onto the handle, alright?”

Kyungsoo looked up at him, “What?”

“Just do it!”

Baekhyun slowly brought the handle of the sword down, making faces as he felt the blade cutting through the sash, “Hurry!”

Kyungsoo’s eyes widened in shock, but quickly did as he was told. He let out a small breath and his hands moved from his sword to Baekhyun’s. The two rocks from before fell, taking Kyungsoo’s sword along with them. He felt as Baekhyun pulled him up, making grunts as he used his strength.

Once Kyungsoo got to the edge, he grabbed onto the ledge and pulled himself up from there. He landed on his back and took in heavy breaths as he looked at the sky. Baekhyun had just saved his life.

He sat up and saw Baekhyun sitting next to him. He was clutching to one of his hands tightly. He was making a face and slowly his eyes looked at Kyungsoo and smiled…the Solaris prince was smiling at him amidst the pain. “Are you alright?” Baekhyun asked.

It didn’t add up. Solarians were self-centered and conceited. They care about no one but themselves, how is it possible that he just saved him?

“I’m fine. Thank you.”

Baekhyun smiled wider and looked down at his hand, “I’m glad.”

Kyungsoo furrowed his brows, “May I see your hand?”

Baekhyun looked over at him, “It’s not bad, it just stings.”

Kyungsoo pierced his lips together and scooted closer to him, “May I?” He asked as his hand traveled towards Baekhyun’s.

Baekhyun pierced his lips together and allowed Kyungsoo to place his hand in between his.

Baekhyun looked at Kyungsoo with careful eyes. Kyungsoo looked down at the cut, “It’s not too bad. Luckily it’s not deep.”

The sash that Baekhyun had used was to cushion the blade was in his other hand and Kyungsoo reached out and took it. He began to tie it around Baekhyun’s bloody hand. “It won’t get infected, but still, when you get home wash it with water.”

Baekhyun looked at Kyungsoo’s focused eyes as he tied the sash around his bloody hand. He was careful and gentle, it contradicted everything he had been taught.

“You seem like you know what you’re doing.” Baekhyun told him.

Kyungsoo’s lips quirked up a bit, “I have practice. One of my knights had a tendency to cut himself often with the blade of his sword. He is such a child, more like my little brother than my knight.”

Baekhyun giggled, “Accidents happen.”

Kyungsoo shook his head, “What you did was no accident. It was crazy.”

Baekhyun bit his bottom lip, “I had no other choice. I know you might not value my life, but I value yours.”

Kyungsoo tied the knot around Baekhyun’s hand tightly and looked up at him. “All life is valuable.”

“Would you save mine if it came down to it?”

Kyungsoo didn’t have a response to that. The Monalet side was saying no, but Kyungsoo himself was responding with a yes.

“Believe it or not, I have a conscience and morals. I would never let anyone just die if I knew I could do something to help.”

Baekhyun looked down at his hand and tightened it into a fist. He scoffed, “You are something else Kyungsoo.”

Kyungsoo stood up, “As are you.”

“Our kingdoms would be upset with us.” Baekhyun said as he stood up.

Kyungsoo shrugged, “They don’t need to know.”

Baekhyun let out a giggle, “Still want to see the waterfall?”

Kyungsoo nodded, “Of course.”

Baekhyun looked ahead, “A deal is a deal.” he turned to face Kyungsoo, “Let’s go.”

Kyungsoo walked next to Baekhyun, unsure of what to say. The Solaris prince had just saved his life and he knew the without him, he would have fallen to his death. He wanted to say thank you, but he wasn’t sure how. He was already doing the favor of helping him with his archery. He supposes that should be enough.

“Kyungsoo, we gotta go one by one here, ok?”

Kyungsoo shook the thoughts away and looked at Baekhyun, “Huh?”

Baekhyun looked over at him, smiling, “We need to go in through these boulders. Do you hear the waterfall?”

Kyungsoo blinked and strained his ears, he heard something, but he couldn’t make out what it was.

Baekhyun approached the boulders and turned his body sideways. He then squeezed into the narrow opening in between the two big boulders. Kyungsoo peeked inside and saw Baekhyun was on his side, his back leaning against the boulder behind him as he squeezed inside. Kyungsoo let out a sigh and went in after Baekhyun. He extended his arms and pressed his back against the boulder behind him.

“Just a little further.” Baekhyun suddenly spoke out, Kyungsoo followed closely. As they got closer to the end, he began hearing the sound of water as it hit something. It sounded powerful, yet soothing at the same time.

He saw a ray of sunshine hit his face, he shut his eyes and let himself out.

“We made it!” Baekhyun exclaimed.

Kyungsoo opened his eyes and his mouth opened wide. In front of him was a…waterfall. It was so much more beautiful than the stories he had heard from others. It was so powerful in the sense that it didn’t let anything get in its way. But it was also majestic, able to fall without hurting itself in any way.

Baekhyun giggled, “You can get closer.”

Kyungsoo gulped and took a couple of steps towards it. He felt as small droplets began to kiss his face. He shut his eyes and smiled wide. It felt refreshing and calming.

“You can take your shoes off if you want.”

Kyungsoo turned around to look at Baekhyun, who was giving him a small half smile. “The grass is really soft. I usually take off my shoes when I’m around my knights.”

Kyungsoo looked Baekhyun over and realized Baekhyun’s shoes were still on.

“Why don’t you do it now?”

Baekhyun looked down at his feet. “You don’t have to. I’m simply recommending it.”

Kyungsoo looked back at the waterfall and took a few steps back. He marveled at it, never did he imagine that he would be seeing one up close. It was a thought that had never crossed his mind. He looked down at his feet. The grass was a bright green and it looked very soft. He began to squat down and gently put his hands on it. It was a vibrant green. Perhaps he could study the soil here sometime to see made the plants so green. Maybe that would help with the crop problem.

Kyungsoo looked back at Baekhyun, who was watching him curiously. His eyes were wide and he was kneeling on the grass. His mouth was in a little “o” shape.

Kyungsoo cleared his throat and looked back at the grass. He knew this wouldn’t last long. He needed to get back to his kingdom before others would begin to question where he had gone. As of right now, his excuse would be that he was at the secret spot thinking about how to solve the crop problem and in reality, it was the partial truth.

“Hey, can you train me now?” Baekhyun asked. He had been waiting for Kyungsoo to get over his astonishment and it seemed as though it was almost gone. Now was a good a time as any to ask.

Kyungsoo stood up, “Sure. Today, we can focus on how to hold the bow so that you can aim properly. You hold the bow weird.”

Baekhyun stood up, “I do not! My knights taught me this way!”

Kyungsoo rolled his eyes, “What works for them, doesn’t work for you. You have to find your own way to hold it.”

Baekhyun took out his bow and looked at it.

“If I held the bow the way my knight did, I would be just as awful as you.”

Baekhyun scowled at him, but began lifting the bow up. He arranged his hands in different ways, trying to see what he felt most comfortable with.

“Have you ever trained at all?” Kyungsoo asked, a look of disbelief on his face.

“Yes!...sort of.”

Kyungsoo sighed. This may take longer than originally planned.

“At least you can fight with a sword.”

Baekhyun stuck his tongue out and bit it softly as he continued moving his hands around. His eyes stayed on them as he tried to find his “comfort” position. Whatever the hell that was.

“Are you even trying?” Kyungsoo asked.

Baekhyun looked up at him, “What do you mean by…my own way?”

Kyungsoo took out his bow and held it as if he was about to shoot. “You need to become one with your bow. Just like the way you fight with your sword.”

Baekhyun tilted his head and stared at him curiously.

“I have seen the way you fight with a sword. You have to use that same feeling with your bow and arrow.”

Baekhyun didn’t feel anything when he fought with a sword. He simply fought, there was nothing “special”. He simply used his sword and skills to fight his opponent.

Kyungsoo pierced his lips together. “It’s like…when you fight with your sword, you get confident. You seem to lose all fear and become one with it.”

Baekhyun raised his eyebrow in confusion. What was he talking about?

Kyungsoo sighed, “Alright, just…give me your bow.”

They were like this for a fair amount of time. Kyungsoo trying to explain to Baekhyun how he needed to be emotionally invested into this, just as he was physically. But it all seemed like gibberish to Baekhyun. They got somewhere after a while, but by that time, it was time to head out. They had been out long enough and needed to leave before someone got suspicious and went to look for them.

“You’ll get it eventually.” Kyungsoo said as they went down towards the pasture they left their horses in. “Just take time to yourself and focus.”

Baekhyun pouted as he walked next to him, “I don’t have time.”

Kyungsoo looked over at him, “Hm?”

Baekhyun shook his head, “We should get our horses before they get too comfortable and don’t want to leave.”

Baekhyun went on ahead, walking a little faster. Kyungsoo followed behind until they reached the bottom.

Their horses were still with the others. They were playing with the rest as they trotted around and stomped their hooves.

Baekhyun smiled wide and let out a whistle. His horse immediately perked up and ran towards him.

Kyungsoo did the same and his horse made his way towards them too. The horses let out one last neigh as if to say that they had fun. The wild horses neighed back and continued to trot around.

Baekhyun and Kyungsoo both welcomed their horses with open arms.

“Don’t forget to put the emblem on them.” Baekhyun said.

Kyungsoo nodded, “Thanks.”

After placing the emblems and making sure they didn’t look too dirty, they got on top of them. Baekhyun’s horse walked first, Kyungsoo followed behind.

“You don’t want to run this time?” Kyungsoo asked.

Baekhyun slowed down his pace to match Kyungsoo’s. He looked over at him, “No. This is fine.”

Kyungsoo looked ahead, “We can’t meet tomorrow, it will be too suspicious if we leave every day.”

Baekhyun nodded, “Alright, what about every other day?”

Kyungsoo pondered that for a little while. It didn’t seem like a bad idea, if anything, it seemed like it could work. “That’s fine.” He responded.

Baekhyun looked ahead, “To get back to Monalet,” He pointed to a route a little up ahead. “Follow the path, and then make a left. You’re going to hit that fork in the road.”

Kyungsoo scoffed. “You assume I don’t know my way back?”

Baekhyun rolled his eyes, “I know you don’t know your way back.”

Kyungsoo felt his lip wanting to quirk up, but he kept it down. It was then that he realized that he hadn’t truly thanked Baekhyun for saving him earlier. The prince had injured himself to save Kyungsoo’s life, yet he hadn’t expressed his gratitude. But, how could he?

Kyungsoo rearranged himself on the saddle and cleared his throat.

Baekhyun remained quiet, until they got to the route he had mentioned earlier. They stopped abruptly and Baekhyun turned to look at him, Kyungsoo looked back.

“This is where I bid you goodbye, until next time.” Baekhyun told him.

Kyungsoo pierced his lips together and then opened his mouth, “Until next time.”

Baekhyun gave him a small nod and gently nudged his horse, causing it to take a step in the opposite direction.

Kyungsoo shut his eyes and looked up again, “Baekhyun!”

Baekhyun stopped and turned around.

“About earlier…uh…thank you.”

Baekhyun raised an eyebrow.

“Without you, I wouldn’t have…well…I wouldn’t be here right now.”

Baekhyun let a gentle smile decorate his features.

“So, thank you.”

Baekhyun shook his head, “No need to mention it.”

Kyungsoo’s eyes looked up at him, unsure of what else to say.

“I’ll see you.” Baekhyun told him.

Kyungsoo faced him directly, “Yes, I’ll be seeing you.”


	7. Chapter 7

"Where were you?" Jongdae asked,

Jongdae had been following Baekhyun around ever since he got back to the castle. Baekhyun had planned on getting back before anyone woke up, but Jongdae caught him as he sneaked around the castle. The prince had panicked and told him would he would tell him later.

“Jongdae!” Baekhyun yelled playfully as he turned to face his friend. “I went to go see the big waterfall and lost track of time!” He yelled out.

Jongdae lifted up his brow and looked at Baekhyun’s hand. The sash from yesterday was still tied and was the reason for Jongdae being so inquisitive.  Normally, the knight wouldn’t be so clingy, but Baekhyun’s story just didn’t seem to add up.

Once Baekhyun got to his room yesterday, he did as Kyungsoo instructed. He washed the wound with water and cleaned it. But the cut would take a while to heal properly, he couldn’t let his knights see it. The prince knew that if they saw it, they would question him until they got the right answer. Because of that, Baekhyun decided to keep the sash on until the wound was healed. It would only be a couple of days, he could manage until then.

Baekhyun let out a scoff, “I told you, I cut myself while fixing the saddle.” It wasn’t the best lie, but it was the best he could come up with at the moment when he was on the spot yesterday.

“Then why don’t you let me see it?” Jongdae asked.

Baekhyun rolled his eyes, “It’s not a big deal. I’m fine!”

Jongdae sighed, “Fine, but be more careful next time.”

Baekhyun sent him a small smile. “Don’t worry. I’m just being overly dramatic about a small cut.”

Jongdae chuckled as he looked on ahead. The prince and he had been called into the throne room. The king claimed that he had a surprise for the prince and his knights. Chanyeol should already be in the throne room with the king and queen.

“What do you think the surprise is?” Jongdae asked as they approached the room.

Baekhyun shrugged, “It could be anything.”

They ultimately walked into the main throne room, where the king was expecting them. Chanyeol was already in there. Body straightened up as he stared at the king.

“You called for us father?” Baekhyun asked as he got closer.  Jongdae walked closely next to him.

The king nodded, “Yes, I have good news for you three.”

Baekhyun quirked an eyebrow up, “Oh? And what is that?”

His mother stood up and smiled in glee. “Baekhyun, your father has decided to let you and your knights do whatever you want today.”

Baekhyun’s eyes widened, “What?”

The king stood up, “You boys have been working so hard, you deserve a day to rest.”

Baekhyun smiled at his father.

“You will be a wonderful king one day.” The queen added. She looked over at the knights, “and you boys, will one day be amazing head knights to lead the rest. We are so proud of all three of you.”

The queen was not just Baekhyun’s mother, but had raised the two knights as well. She had been there for all three of them ever since they were born.  

“We can go horseback riding!” Jongdae exclaimed.

Chanyeol turned around to face them, “Or visit Sehun!”

Baekhyun smiled when Chanyeol said that. It had been many sunrises that they had not seen Sehun. They used to play together as children and got along very well in their teen years.

“That sounds like a splendid idea.” The king responded. “Have fun you three.”

The trio bowed and made their way outside in a hurry.

“He said whatever we want!” Chanyeol exclaimed.

“We haven’t seen Sehun in so long!” Jongdae added.

Baekhyun sent a smile their way, “I’ll be out in the front in a bit.”

Before they could make their way anywhere, they needed to make sure they dressed for the occasion. Since it was instructed that they were free to do what they wish, they didn’t need to dress formally. Baekhyun would wear clothing that he felt was appropriate.

It wasn’t uncommon to see the royalty dressed casually as they walked through the town. It showed them that they were regular people just like everyone else. It made them feel more like a unit instead of feeling as if there was a hierarchy.

Baekhyun put on clothes used only for when he walked around town. His knights did the same thing, however, they still took their swords with them. One could never be too careful.

It didn’t take long before the three of them ran towards Sehun’s home. There was no need for formality today. They could simply behave however they wanted and not worry about how others viewed them.

They got to the town panting for breath. Chanyeol plopped on the ground and wiped at his forehead, “I won.” He stated.

Jongdae shook his head as he licked his lips, “No way! I was faster.”

Baekhyun straightened up, “It doesn’t matter, go fetch me water.”

Chanyeol chuckled and kicked the prince’s leg. “Get it yourself.” He responded as he stood up.

Baekhyun giggled, “How rude.” He responded. “Your prince wants water.”

Jongdae rolled his eyes as he gave him a mischievous smile. “Then go get it.”

The two knights walked ahead, Baekhyun followed behind. He didn’t mind it being like this. He wanted everyone to know that their prince was just another person like themselves. He took his job seriously and knew the kingdom and its people were important. He deserved no special treatment just because he was born a prince. He wanted to earn respect by becoming an amazing leader with innovative ideas.

The trio finally ended up in front of Sehun’s home. They were all sweaty from how much energy they were exerting in their playful antics, but they didn’t mind. Hopefully Sehun wouldn’t mind either.

Chanyeol knocked on the door and didn’t need to wait long until someone answered.

“Your highness!” Sehun’s father answered, eyes big.

Baekhyun smiled, “Hello.”

“Hello, what can I do for you? Would you like to step inside?”

Baekhyun let out a small chuckle, “I’m looking for Sehun. Is he home?”

“Yes, he is. He is in the shack in the back. May I ask what for?”

“We simply wanted to see how he was doing. There is nothing going on, I assure you.”

Baekhyun saw as relief hit the man’s face. His features began to soften a bit. “You need to go around to get to the back, let me show you.”

The man stepped outside and kept his eyes on Baekhyun, “If you would please follow me your majesty.”

Baekhyun nodded, “Of course.”

The man led them around the house to a gate. It was a small gate made of wood. He unlocked it from the other side by reaching over the top. The gate slid open easily. They entered a small backyard with a shack located it the far corner. It was not too big, but it could be used as a spare room if one wanted.

“Sehun!” His father yelled.

“Yes?” A voice responded. The trio immediately recognized it as Sehun’s.

“You have visitors!”

“Who?”

He was about to respond back but Baekhyun placed his hand on his shoulder, “We can take it from here. Thank you.”

The man nodded, “If there is anything you need your highness, please do not hesitate to ask.”

Baekhyun nodded in reply, “Thank you for your hospitality.”

The trio looked towards the shack and Chanyeol bit his bottom lip as he swung the door open. Sehun looked up in alarm. He was sitting on hay, five white pigeons surrounded him. Hay was piled everywhere as if to be used as chairs. There was small cracks on the roof that allowed the sun to enter and illuminate the space.

Sehun’s mouth went up as he smiled, “What are you guys doing here?”

The trio walked inside, “Surprise!” Baekhyun yelled. The pigeons flew up onto wooden panels above Sehun’s head.

“Did you miss us?” Jongdae asked.

Sehun twisted his mouth, “Honestly?”

Chanyeol laughed and punched his shoulder playfully, “You know you did.”

Sehun laughed, “Maybe a little.”

“You collect pigeons now?” Jongdae asked.

Sehun looked around, “Yes, kind of.” He lifted his hand up slowly, the pointer finger above the rest. He looked at one and beckoned with his head for it to come. The pigeon flapped its wings and gracefully perched itself on Sehun’s finger.

Baekhyun’s mouth dropped, “You train pigeons?”

Sehun nodded as he gave the pigeon some seeds. “I noticed messages have been getting harder to send. It takes a long time for someone to get a message across the kingdom, especially since everyone is so busy a lot of the time.”

“You…want to use pigeons to send messages?” Chanyeol asked as he tried to beckon one of them to come next to him. But it didn’t seem to work.

Sehun gave Chanyeol a seed, “Pat the area using the seed.”

Chanyeol nodded and did as he was told. As if on cue, the pigeon gracefully settled itself next to Chanyeol, tilting its head as it waited for the seed. Chanyeol smiled and gave it to the bird.

“Now, caress her gently to let her know she did a good job.”

Chanyeol gently patted its head, the pigeon shut its eyes and sat comfortably next to Chanyeol. It was very friendly and reacted positively to his touch.

“Amazing!” Chanyeol exclaimed excitedly.

Sehun smiled proudly, “It wasn’t easy at first, but I’m getting the hang of it.”

 “But, how are you going to train them to send messages?” Jongdae asked as he settled himself on some hay.

“Once trained with who their owner is, all that needs to be done is to take them to the place by foot. So, if I want to send a message to my mom right now, I walk to the pigeon to the front of the kitchen window. That way, he can know where to go.” Sehun replied.

“But how does he know that’s what you want?” Chanyeol asked as he continued caressing the pigeon.

Sehun pulled out another seed from his bag. “Food. Once something is done right, he gets food. It goes on like this until he becomes so adjusted to the routine. Once adjusted, he does it even without food. Like the way he landed on my finger.”

Jongdae chuckled as one of the pigeons crept closer to him. He smiled and patted its back gently. “But, what if I gave it food and the message was meant for Baekhyun? Does that mean they will give me the message instead?”

Sehun shook his head, “No. I dip the seeds in a secret juice that is my own recipe. They can only be trained with my specific juice. Anything else they will eat, but can only be trained with my juice.” As he said this, he lifted up a bottle full of an orange liquid. It was a light orange and had yellow things floating around it.

“What’s in there?” Baekhyun asked as he took the bottle in his own hands.

Sehun laughed, “I’m not saying. It’s a secret.”

Jongdae smirked, “I’ll just drink it then, and figure it out.”

Sehun laughed, “Then that would be the last thing you drink. The main ingredient is Soltis.”

Baekhyun’s mouth dropped. Soltis was known as one of the most deadly flowers when ingested by humans. However, taken by any other animal, was completely harmless.

“Isn’t that kind of dangerous?” Chanyeol asked.

“It can be, if drank by humans. But I put a scroll attached to it to let people know.” Sehun showed them one of the bottles, a small scroll was tied to it. “The pigeons love it.”

“You are certain that this message sending thing works?” Jongdae asked.

Sehun nodded, “I have already had buyers who have all said the same thing, it works great! I sell them the juice and pigeon along with a small bag I sewed myself.”

The younger took a small satchel and wrapped it around one of the pigeons. It was a perfect fit and didn’t seem to weigh the bird down. Baekhyun couldn’t help but smile at how cute it looked.

He gestured towards the small satchel. “The little scroll goes in here.”

Chanyeol smiled wide as he ruffled Sehun’s hair.  “You’re amazing Sehun!” He complimented.

Sehun laughed, “The only hard thing is saying goodbye to them. I grew attached.”

Baekhyun looked around at some of the pigeons. Sehun had always loved them. Even as a kid, he remembered how Sehun used to chase them around.

“You remember how you loved them when we used to go to the clearing?” Jongdae asked.

Baekhyun turned to look at him. He had completely forgotten that sometimes they would ask Sehun to accompany them into the clearing. He would come on occasion when his parents would let him. Thinking back, it was the four of them. They would hang out together by the stream and by the big tree in the center.

“Do you guys still go there?” Sehun asked as he chuckled.

Chanyeol shook his head, “No, we haven’t been there in a while. I wonder if it still looks the same.”

Baekhyun smiled. It did look the same. The clearing hadn’t changed one bit.

“We could go again sometime.” Sehun added. “I can bring one of my pigeons.”

Baekhyun raised an eyebrow. He would love to go to with the three of them again. But, he would need to be careful this time. Kyungsoo now played a factor and he couldn’t allow Kyungsoo to be around when his knights were. He could coordinate with Kyungsoo one day when he saw him again. Baekhyun’s head turned towards one of the pigeons. It sat perched peacefully on a piece of wood inside of the shack. Its eyes were shut tight as it slept. That’s when an idea hit Baekhyun. An idea that would allow him to talk with Kyungsoo without anyone suspecting a thing.

The prince’s head turned to look at Sehun, who was chatting away with Jongdae and Chanyeol. Perhaps Sehun would sell him the most trained pigeon. There was no reason not to. 

***

The day was a bit gloomy as Kyungsoo walked towards the knight’s quarters, one could even say that it looked like it may rain. But that was the least of the prince’s worries. He needed to speak to the head knight.  What Jinyoung had told him a couple days ago had worried him. It had been in the back of his mind ever since it had happened and now, it was time to confront him. He wasn’t sure how he would begin or what he would even say. But one thing was for certain, if he found out the head knight was bullying any of his subjects, he would make sure to do everything in his power to remove him.

There was no way he would ever allow anyone to take advantage of his subjects, it didn’t matter to him who they were.

He walked into the battle grounds, the knights were already training in groups. His eyes scanned the area and he caught sight of his knights training the youngest knights. They were practicing their swordsmanship on a target. One of them gasped as they caught sight of Kyungsoo.

“Your highness!” he exclaimed. Kyungsoo recognized him as Mark. He wasn’t an official knight yet, he was still in training. The knights next to him turned their heads and straightened up.

Minseok let out a small chuckle, “You may continue practicing.” He said.

Jaemin turned to look at Minseok, “But, what about the prince?” He asked.

Kyungsoo smiled and walked towards them, “No need to mind me. I’m simply walking by.”

Their eyes widened and they bowed slightly.

Jongin walked by them and towards Kyungsoo. “What can we do for you, your highness?” He asked teasingly.

“Direct me to the head knight.”

Jongin raised an eyebrow, “He’s training Taemin by the archery station. You need to speak with him?”

Kyungsoo nodded, “And I need one of you to come with me.”

Jongin’s smile faded and he furrowed his brows. He looked over at his brother.

“I can stay here with them, you go with Kyungsoo.” Minseok answered.

Jongin nodded and looked at Kyungsoo, “I’ll lead you there.”

“So cool…” They heard a small whisper. The prince and knight turned to look at Haechan staring at them. His face grew slightly red as it dawned on him he had thought out loud.

Minseok smiled as he suppressed a chuckle, “We will now begin warm ups. Physical training will start shortly.”

“Yes sir!” They yelled out as they got into a straight line.

Kyungsoo couldn’t help but smile. The youngest knights were always so cute to watch. He followed Jongin as the knight walked ahead.

“What are you going to tell him?” Jongin asked.

“I’m demanding that he explain to me why Jinyoung mentioned him.”

Jongin twisted his mouth to the side. “Did you tell your dad?”

Kyungsoo shook his head. “This is merely a warning. If I hear about it again, from anyone, my father will get word of it. I don’t know who he thinks he is, but he has no right to be menacing anyone.”

Jongin lead him to where the head knight was. He was next to Taemin, watching as he aimed for the target. “Perfect posture Taemin!” The head knight complimented. Taemin smiled and bowed towards him, “Thank you sir.”

Kyungsoo nudged Jongin, meaning that he wanted Jongin to call him over.

Jongin walked over to the both of them, “Nice shot Taemin.” Jongin encouraged.

Taemin turned to look at him, “You’re not going to be the prince’s knight anymore.”

Jongin laughed, “Is that a challenge?”

Taemin smiled. “No, merely a fact that I’ll take your place.”

“He’s doing amazing isn’t he?” the head knight interjected as he placed a hand on Taemin’s shoulder.

Jongin sighed, “Yeah, he’s definitely improving.” His eyes darted towards the head knight. “I’m actually here for you.”

“Me?” He asked as he straightened up.

Jongin nodded, “The prince wishes to speak with you…alone.”

Taemin looked behind to see Kyungsoo looking at them. He quickly got the message. “I’ll be with the other knights.” He said as he walked away from them. “Excuse me your highness.” He said as he passed by Kyungsoo. The prince sent him a slight nod of acknowledgement, but kept his eyes glued onto the head knight.

“You need to walk towards him.” Jongin told the head knight.

He scoffed, “Is that any way to speak to your superior?”

Jongin raised an eyebrow.

“You are not his superior.” Kyungsoo answered as he walked towards them. “He is my knight, therefore is equal, if not, higher than you.”

The head knight’s eyes looked up, “You’re right, I apologize your highness.”

“I need to speak with you about something that has been troubling me for a couple of days now.”

“Of course, how can I help?”

“As you know, the moon festival is coming up. I went to the moon temple to ask the Moon God for his blessing.”

“Of course.”

Kyungsoo nodded, “While there, I saw someone that I hadn’t seen in a while. He was praying to the Moon God for something. He told me that he was in a predicament and when I told him he could come to the castle at any time, he said something that alarmed me.”

The head knight listened intently.

“Why was it that when I asked him why he hadn’t come for aid from the castle, you came up as the reason?”

The head knight blinked in surprise and opened his mouth to say something, but quickly shut it. “Your majesty, I don’t understand.”

“Alright, let me put it plain and simple. Are you telling people from the kingdom to not come to the castle for aid?”

He let out a small scoff, “I would never…well perhaps he misinterpreted my words.”

“And what exactly did you say?”

“There have been some people from the kingdom claiming that they need help for trivial matters. I simply tell them that there are bigger things the king is worried about right now. If their problems are not severe, then they should try to resolve them on their own. The crops from the Eastern side, in my opinion, are much more important right now.”

Kyungsoo’s eyes furrowed, “That isn’t for you to decide. “ He told him sternly. “If someone in the kingdom needs aid, they come to me, my mother or father. Who do you think you are, telling them to resolve it on their own?” Kyungsoo couldn’t deny, the crops were a very important matter. But, that doesn’t mean they could simply ignore their people. The reason they needed to figure out what was going on with the crops is because they needed to make sure their people would have enough to eat. It was all for them. Kyungsoo couldn’t understand why the head knight thought he had any right to tell the people that they couldn’t come to the castle.

“Your majesty, I was only trying to help.”

Kyungsoo looked over at Jongin, who looked just as furious.

The head knight sent a glare towards Jongin and then looked back at Kyungsoo, “Your highness, I would prefer if I spoke to you alone.”

Kyungsoo looked back at him, “My knight stays.” He replied. “If I get word of this again, I will do everything in my power to rid of you, do I make myself clear?”

The head knight scowled at him, “We should be using our resources to figure out the reason behind the crops!” He took a step toward him, that’s all it took for Jongin to take his sword out. He put the blade in between Kyungsoo and the head knight. His dark hair fell over his eyes as he glared at the head knight.

“Do not raise your voice at the prince.” He said. Jongin knew a threat when he saw one. And the anger in the head knight’s eyes reflected obvious intent to hurt. “Step back.” He commanded.

The head knight shut his eyes and gave them a slight bow, “With all due respect, I think we should try to figure out what is happening with the crops.” He answered in between gritted teeth.

“I agree, but that is no reason to treat our people like their problems do not matter.” Kyungsoo turned around and gave him his back, “We are finished here. And remember my words for they are not a threat, they are the truth.”

***

Baekhyun held the cage securely in his hand, pigeon snuggled safely within.

“I still don’t understand why you got a pigeon.” Jongdae told him as they walked home.

Baekhyun smiled at him, “Because it was really cute. And it’s trained.”

Chanyeol scoffed, “Yeah, but who are you going to send messages to?”

Baekhyun lifted up the cage towards his face as he looked at the pigeon inside. It had its little satchel wrapped around itself, as well as, the special juice next to him.

“I don’t know, I just grew attached to him. Maybe he can sleep next to me and keep me company at night.” Baekhyun made faces at his new little pigeon. He promised Sehun that he would take good care of him.

“Yeah, he is cute.” Chanyeol complimented as he looked at the prince’s pigeon. It was huddled up in the center, staring at them intently.

Baekhyun knew that he would take good care of his new little pet. He also needed a way to communicate with Kyungsoo without anyone getting suspicious. His new little pigeon was the perfect solution. He needed to keep his secret safe, until he could convince his knights that maybe, just maybe...the Monalet prince wasn’t so bad.

***

“You need to tell the king.” Minseok told Kyungsoo as they walked through the hallways of his home.

Kyungsoo shook his head, “I gave the head knight a warning. I shall keep my word.”

“So, if he does it again, you will tell your father?”

Kyungsoo nodded, “That’s what I said and I’ll keep my word.”

Jongin scoffed, “I still think we should tell the king he tried attacking you.”

Minseok’s eyes widened, “He...what?!”

Kyungsoo shook his head, “No, it was probably just a misunderstanding. He’s an idiot, but he’s not an imbecile.”

“I say we get up early and tell your father right away!” Minseok exclaimed.

Kyungsoo shook his head, “I said, if he repeats the bad behavior, I will. I believe in second chances.” There was no need to alarm his father, not yet. Besides, he had plans tomorrow morning. He would never say it out loud, nor would he admit it to himself. But he was excited for tomorrow morning. He would never in a million years admit he was excited to meet up with a Solarian.

 


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoy this chapter ^^ hopefully I can update soon, my schedules are getting very hectic lately due to finals approaching. So please, bear with me if updates begin to lag.

Baekhyun ran into the clearing, his bow in one hand and the cage in his other. He was growing accustomed to meeting the Monalet prince and in all honesty, he enjoyed it. His archery skills were improving steadily and it felt nice to be able to be himself with someone other than his knights. He sat down and placed his things next to him. He looked down at his bow, the one that was a gift from his grandmother. She had passed away a couple of years ago and Baekhyun had always looked up to her. She lived in the palace with them and had helped raise him as well as, his knights. He missed her dearly and on the day she died, he cried for days on end. The only thing he had to remember her by, was his bow.

She had made him the bow when he was still a child. It meant everything to him and he felt confident when he used it. But, it was worn out and on the verge of breaking. This would probably be one of the last times he would use it and will instead hang it in his room to keep it away from the outside world. His hand traced it from the top and let his finger travel down to the sun emblem in the center. His grandmother had painted the Solaris emblem right in the center of the bow. It was the color of the earth with the Solaris sun in the center. Solarians were known to admire the earth for its wonderful harvesting abilities and strength. He smiled down at the bow as he reminisced about the memories of his grandmother. His eyes slowly looked up to look at the clearing.

 The clearing looked nice when the sun was barely beginning to hit it. It was bright and inviting. Baekhyun loved the sun, he was raised to love it. He knew that the sun represented the Sun Goddess, the one that took care of all Solarians. His grandmother was probably next to the Sun Goddess, the thought made him feel safe. He looked down at his pigeon huddled next to him. He was in his little cage, eyes closed as he rested. He really was adorable.

A rustle was heard and Baekhyun perked his head up. The Monalet prince was coming out from the entrance, dusting himself off as he looked down at his robes.

“Took you long enough.” Baekhyun teased.

Kyungsoo looked up at him, “I overslept a bit.” He responded.

Baekhyun smiled wide at him, “It happens.” He shrugged.

Kyungsoo sent him a small smile and walked towards him. “Where to today?” He asked.

Baekhyun shrugged, “Up to you, but I do have something to show you.” The Solarian prince bent down to pick up the cage. The pigeon inside opened its eyes as it felt someone rocking his home.

Kyungsoo tilted his head to the side as he looked at it curiously. “A white pigeon?”

Baekhyun nodded, “Yes, isn’t he cute?”

Kyungsoo had never seen a white pigeon before. Around Monalet, the pigeons were all a dark blue, kind of gray color. He got closer to it and put his face by the cage. His curious eyes looked over it as he took it in.

Baekhyun watched him curiously. “You act as though you have never seen a pigeon before.” The Monalet prince’s eyes grew wide when he got curious. He looked younger than his actual age.

Kyungsoo straightened up, eyes not leaving the pigeon. “Not a white one.”

Baekhyun’s eyes widened, “Really?”

Kyungsoo nodded, “Around Monalet, there is only dark blue.”

“Dark blue pigeons?” Baekhyun asked, slight surprise in his voice.

Kyungsoo nodded again, “The Moon God wants everything in his kingdom to reflect him.”

“Moon God?”

Kyungsoo looked up at him, “Of course. You have heard of him right?”

Baekhyun shook his head, “We believe in the Sun Goddess.”

Kyungsoo twisted his mouth to the side, “Maybe there is one for day and night.”

Baekhyun smiled, “Maybe. Or maybe the Moon God made Monalet and the Sun Goddess made Solaris.”

Kyungsoo laughed, “Perhaps.”

Baekhyun’s smile faltered and his eyes widened again.

Kyungsoo’s smile began to drop, “What?”

“You…you laughed.”

“Yeah…so?”

Baekhyun let out a chuckle, “This whole time, I thought you were a boring person that had no sense of humor. But, you do!”

Kyungsoo gulped, “Don’t get used to it.”

Baekhyun raised an eyebrow as he sent him a mischievous grin. “I’m known around my kingdom to be very funny.”

Kyungsoo rolled his eyes, “You are full of yourself, I’ll give you that.”

Baekhyun laughed, “It’s alright to laugh, you have a nice laugh.”

Kyungsoo covered his hand with his mouth as he tried to suppress a laugh. He had gotten a little shy from the sudden compliment, but he couldn’t show Baekhyun that.

“Anyways…” Baekhyun said as he opened the cage. Kyungsoo looked over at him, seeing as he unlatched the lock.

“This pigeon is actually trained by my friend.”

“Trained?”

Baekhyun nodded, “To send messages.”

Kyungsoo’s eyes widened.

Baekhyun’s hand went inside the cage and the pigeon perched himself on it. Baekhyun gently took his hand out.

“You place the scroll in its little satchel.” He pointed towards the small bag wrapped around the pigeon. Kyungsoo tilted his head to get a better look.

“And then send him off!” He said enthusiastically. “All you need to do, is take him home with you. And then feed him one of these seeds.”  Baekhyun pulled out a baggie from the cage. “This will train him to memorize the path to your home.”

“Seeds? What if someone else gives him seeds?”

“Don’t worry, they are dipped in special juice to train the pigeons. But you can’t eat them! The juice is lethal to humans.”

“Then why isn’t lethal to pigeons?”

Baekhyun shrugged, “One of the nature’s many mysteries. The juice has a flower ingredient, soltis. It is only edible for birds because it releases a sweet juice. But, any other living thing exposed to its juice will certainly die.”

“How come I have never heard of it?”

“Because it can only grow in Solaris.” Baekhyun responded.

“So, your kingdom has a flower that can kill if exposed to its juice?”

Baekhyun nodded, “We are taught to avoid it once we learn to walk. It is extremely dangerous if ingested.”

Kyungsoo scoffed as he continued to look at the pigeon. It was scratching itself using its talon.

“You want to hold him?” Baekhyun asked.

Kyungsoo looked over at him, “Me?”

Baekhyun nodded, “Of course! Just hold your hand out.”

Kyungsoo did as he was instructed, his pointer finger sticking out.

“Alright, now let me get a seed.” Baekhyun took a seed from the pouch and hovered it over Kyungsoo’s hand. The pigeon stuck its head out to grab it, but Baekhyun pulled away. He would only get the reward once the pigeon stood on Kyungsoo’s hand.

The pigeon eventually climbed onto Kyungsoo’s hand, much to the Monalet prince’s delight. Kyungsoo’s eyes shined bright as the pigeon stood comfortably on his hand. Baekhyun gave the seed to the pigeon, Kyungsoo kept himself still so as not to startle the bird.

“And now…he is staying, so…” Baekhyun pulled out another seed. “He gets another seed.”

The pigeon eagerly took the seed given to him.

“Kyungsoo, show him he did a good job.”

Kyungsoo looked up at Baekhyun curiously, “What do you mean?”

“Well…praise him somehow.”

Kyungsoo looked back at the pigeon and caressed his back soothingly. He smiled down as the pigeon settled himself into Kyungsoo’s hand. Kyungsoo had never had a pet before, it felt nice to be able to praise a small animal.

“He likes you.” Baekhyun told him.

Kyungsoo looked up at the Solaris prince, eyes shining at him. Kyungsoo smiled wider and looked back at the pigeon. “I like him too.”

“That’s good, because we need him to send messages to each other.”

Kyungsoo looked at Baekhyun curiously, “Why would I want to send messages to you? I’m already going to see you every other day.”

Baekhyun’s mouth dropped open and then he shut it, “It’s for emergencies!” He responded as he crossed his arms. “What if one day you can’t come or something happens? We need to be able to contact each other somehow.”

Kyungsoo couldn’t deny, he had a point. If they wanted to keep this a secret, they needed to be careful. They needed some way they could talk to each other without letting others know that it was happening. This included being able to talk when they weren’t able to see each other.

Kyungsoo shrugged, “If we do send messages to each other, we need to get rid of them right away.”

Baekhyun nodded, “Good idea. Once we get a scroll from each other, we need to find a way to dispose of them without anyone noticing.”

Kyungsoo was actually getting along with the Solaris prince. It was something he never thought would happen, but he didn’t feel as though it was a bad thing. “We should have a backup plan.” Kyungsoo looked around and his eyes landed on a rock. It was a small, but big enough to conceal something underneath it. “If we can’t send a message to each other in time, we can try to leave messages for each other here too.”

He gave the pigeon to Baekhyun, who took it gently into his own hands. Kyungsoo walked over to the rock and lifted it up, “We can cover it up with a little dirt and then place this rock over it.”

Baekhyun put the pigeon inside of the cage and scurried over to him, “Great idea! This is another way we can send messages to each other without anyone knowing.”

Kyungsoo looked up at him. Baekhyun wasn’t what Kyungsoo had been led to believe. He was the total opposite. He was like a ray of sunshine that shined brightly every time. He wondered if perhaps Baekhyun was realizing the same about him.

“Alright Kyungsoo, I know a new place we can go to practice.”

Kyungsoo straightened up, “What place are you showing me today?”

Baekhyun bit his bottom lip as he smiled, “Have you ever seen a rainbow?”

Kyungsoo scoffed. Of course he had seen a rainbow. He lived in Monalet, a place where rain was a normal occurrence. His kingdom loved the rain and the power that water brought to the world.

“Yes.” Kyungsoo replied.

“What about a rainbow in the sky? Right above a cloud?”

Kyungsoo tilted his head to the side, “What do you mean?”

“It’s a phenomenon that occurs a little closer to Solaris because of the sun. I want you to see it.”

Kyungsoo raised an eyebrow, “Closer to Solaris?”

Baekhyun nodded, “You trust me, right?”

Kyungsoo felt that he could trust the Solaris prince. There had been countless times when he could have gotten rid of him. Yet, he didn’t. Baekhyun had instead helped him in every sticky situation he had encountered. There was no reason not to trust him. Besides, they were already breaking rules, what’s one more?

“Yes.” Kyungsoo answered.

***

Chanyeol woke up with a startle as he felt his body shake. He grunted and opened his eyes groggily. He was adjusting his vision when he heard a stern voice tell him, “Wake up.”

Chanyeol rubbed at his eyes and peered outside, the sun was barely making itself visible. Everyone should still be asleep, including the king and queen. “Why?” He asked, voice still deep from barely waking up. He turned over, “It’s too early.”

Jongdae shook him again, “This is serious Chanyeol!”

Chanyeol let out a whine. If this was serious, then someone would have entered their cabin. There would be yelling outside, summoning the prince’s knights. But no, there was none of that. Instead, Jongdae and Chanyeol were in their cabin alone. Just like always. “Why is this so serious?” Chanyeol asked.

“Baekhyun’s gone!”

Chanyeol turned over, head still buried under the covers. “What do you mean gone?”

“I saw him sneaking out earlier.”

Chanyeol sat up, “Sneaking out?”

Jongdae nodded, “And it isn’t the first time either. I saw him do it a couple days ago too.”

Chanyeol rubbed his eyes, “You didn’t tell me this?”

Jongdae shook his head, “Baekhyun had said it wasn’t a big deal. I fear he might be hiding something he doesn’t want us to know about.”

Chanyeol’s eyebrows furrowed, “What would he possibly hide from us?”

Jongdae shrugged, “I don’t know, but did you notice the sash around his hand a couple days ago?”

Chanyeol thought back and realized that he did see a sash wrapped around his hand. It wasn’t very big, it had looked like Baekhyun wrapped it around his hand and had simply forgotten to take it off. “Yes, why?”

“He said there was a small cut underneath, but if that was so, then why would he keep it on for so long?”

Chanyeol twisted his mouth, “Maybe he didn’t want it to get infected?”

“He refused to let me see it! He is hiding something, I am certain of it!”

Chanyeol was wide awake now. There was no way Baekhyun would ever hide anything from them. It was their sworn duty to protect Baekhyun with their lives if necessary. If Baekhyun was hiding something, they needed to find out what it was. They needed to be certain that whatever Baekhyun was hiding, he was out of harm’s way.

“So, what should we do? Go out looking for him?”

Jongdae bit his bottom lip, he wasn’t sure what they should do. Even if they went out looking for Baekhyun, they had no way of knowing where he could have gone. “We should wait for him and make him believe that we know nothing. If he does this again, we follow him.”  

***

Baekhyun led Kyungsoo to a place on the Eastern side of Kyungsoo’s kingdom. He was always taught that Solaris was on the Eastern side of his own kingdom, which means, they were getting closer to Solaris. He had never gone into the kingdom, he had arrived at the lands once. But that was a mistake.

They arrived to a small clearing in the center of some woods they entered. There were orange flowers everywhere. It seemed peaceful and was very warm. It was serene and beautiful.

Baekhyun got off his horse and settled himself onto the patch of orange flowers. His horse stood next to him and began eating away. The Solaris prince opened the cage as if to let the pigeon decide whether he wanted to come out or not.

Kyungsoo got off his own horse and sat next to Baekhyun, his horse went over to a patch of grass to eat.

“It’s nice huh?” Baekhyun asked as he lay on his back.

Kyungsoo looked over at Baekhyun. The Solaris prince was so trusting and kind. Perhaps, if they weren’t sworn enemies, they may have become best friends growing up. “It’s peaceful.” Kyungsoo replied back.

“You can lay down, the rainbow is so pretty! It’s best when you lay and look up at the sky.”

Kyungsoo twisted his mouth to the side, but looked ahead, “I’m fine, thank you.”

Baekhyun looked him over and sat up, “You still don’t trust me, huh?”

Kyungsoo looked back at him.

“You have your wall up so high. But, I mean it when I say I don’t want us to be enemies.”

“We can’t always have what we want Baekhyun. You and I are sworn enemies. We can’t be friends.”

Baekhyun shook his head playfully, “You say that, yet here we are. Side by side without a care in the world.”

Kyungsoo chuckled and looked down. He was playful and in all honestly, kind of cute. “Baekhyun, you and I know that’s not true.”

Baekhyun shrugged, “Suite yourself.” He laid back down and looked up at the sky. “Did you know, it’s the Sun Goddess that causes the rainbow in the sky?”

Kyungsoo looked up at the sky. It was a clear sky with very few clouds. “What do you mean?”

“Well…she watches over us. And sometimes gives us things like the rainbow in the sky so we don’t forget she is there.”

Kyungsoo’s eyes scanned the sky. “The Moon God does something similar to show us he’s there. But, he gives us lights in the sky at night.”

“Really? That makes sense! He is the Moon God after all.”

Kyungsoo nodded.

“Do you think he would listen to my prayer?”

Kyungsoo blinked in surprise and looked down at Baekhyun. His eyes were giving him a look of hope. Kyungsoo pierced his lips, he wasn’t sure. Would the Moon God listen to a Solarian? He couldn’t find a reason as to why not.

“I think so. He is very kind.”

“Do you think the Sun Goddess and Moon God get along?”

Kyungsoo opened his mouth, but shut it again. Again, Baekhyun was getting too deep into things. He has never heard of the Moon God hating anyone.

“The Sun Goddess was said to be sweet and innocent when she was human eons ago. It is said she was unable to hate anyone.” 

“How did she die?”

Baekhyun shrugged, “I learned that her life was taken away. She was killed by someone before her marriage to the most handsome man on Earth. It is said that she lives up in the sky and that she forgave the one who killed her. She watched over her lover until the day he passed away.”

“Her life was cut short, unable to be with the one she loved.”

Baekhyun nodded and looked up at the sky, “Maybe they are together now. Perhaps when he died he joined her.”

Kyungsoo smiled and looked down at his lap. That would be a happy ending to a tragic story. Hopefully that’s what happened.

“Kyungsoo! The rainbow!” Baekhyun exclaimed excitedly.

Kyungsoo’s eyes darted up towards the sky. As he looked, he saw what looked like an array of colors begin to appear above a cloud. It painted the sky in the beautiful shades of the rainbow. It looked different than the rainbows he had seen. The rainbows he saw always came after rain, this rainbow was appearing in a clear sky.

“It’s beautiful huh?”

Kyungsoo looked in awe at the sight above him, unable to take his eyes off of it. “It is.” He replied.

It was like this for a while. They both stared up at the sky, a small breeze caressing them softly. The flowers beneath their hands tickled their bare skin. Kyungsoo shut his eyes and allowed his body to slowly fall into the flowers. The flowers tickled his cheek and he smiled even wider. Baekhyun turned his head to look at Kyungsoo. He looked so calm and sweet lying next to him like this. That monster that he was taught to hate was nowhere to be found. Kyungsoo was not a monster, he was a kind person who had a kingdom that looked up to him. He had the similar burden Baekhyun had to carry, and that was to one day lead a kingdom all on his own, his partner by his side.

“Kyungsoo?”

Kyungsoo opened one eye and looked at Baekhyun.

“Are you scared to become king?”

Kyungsoo opened his eyes slowly and looked up at the sky. “No.”

Baekhyun bit his bottom lip. “Liar.”

Kyungsoo looked back at him, “I’m not. I feel that when it’s my time, I’ll be ready.”

Baekhyun scoffed, “You seem so confident in yourself. No worries at all.”

 Kyungsoo stretched and sat up again. “Sure. Aren’t you?”

Baekhyun blinked in surprise, “I…” He let out a small giggle. “That seems a little too personal, don’t you think?”

Kyungsoo could tell when someone didn’t want to reveal something, this was one of those times. Instead of forcing him, he stretched out his limbs again. “Anyway, you ready to practice?”

Baekhyun looked up at him, “Yeah.” He replied.

The both of them stood up, Baekhyun took a hold of his bow.

“Alright,” Kyungsoo began as he drew a target on the bark of a tree using some homemade paint he had brought from home. “Show me that you’ve been practicing.”

Baekhyun nodded and lifted up his bow. He aimed and inhaled as he let go. He got somewhere in between the eight and seven area. Kyungsoo looked back at Baekhyun, “You’re getting better.” He complimented. “But you need to keep both eyes open.”

Baekhyun tried again and got the same score time and time again even after keeping both eyes open.

Kyungsoo scoffed, “Practice makes perfect. Keep trying, you also need to go faster. Try shooting two consecutively.”

“Consecutively? Isn’t that a little difficult?”

Kyungsoo nodded, “It is. But, I know you can do it. You’re agile with a sword, getting faster at this shouldn’t be a problem at all.”

Baekhyun nodded as he shot two times in a row. The first almost got perfect, the second missed completely.

“Again!” Kyungsoo commanded.

It went on like this for a while. Until Baekhyun felt the bow begin to wobble in his hands. He blinked and saw that there were small cracks on it. Perhaps it was unable to handle the friction of the arrows being aimed so much. He let out a small gasp as his eyes scanned it.

“Baekhyun, try again.” Kyungsoo said again, looking at him sternly.

Baekhyun put the bow down, “I think that’s enough.” He said.

Kyungsoo shook his head and walked towards him. “Alright, I have read that watching others model can help. Let me just show you how to do it and then we can call it a day.”

Baekhyun bit his bottom lip. “Kyungsoo…”

Kyungsoo reached out and took the bow between his hands. “Arrows.” He said as he extended his hand towards Baekhyun.

“Maybe we can try again another day.”

Kyungsoo looked back at him, “Do you want to learn or not? I’m just going to show you and you can study how I do it so you can practice on your own on at home.”

Baekhyun’s eyes studied the bow in Kyungsoo’s hands. It had small cracks in it, but he supposed one more time couldn’t do much harm. After this, he would never use it again.

He let out a sigh and reluctantly handed Kyungsoo three arrows.

Kyungsoo took them in his hands and aimed for the target. Baekhyun’s eyes widened as the string stretched out. It seemed flimsy and Kyungsoo was gripping it much too tight. He heard a slight creak as the string stretched out fully, Baekhyun felt his stomach tighten as he thought about the worst. In what seemed like a second, Kyungsoo shot them in perfect succession, one after another. Each of them landed where they were supposed to, in the center of the target.

Kyungsoo smiled proudly, but Baekhyun’s eyes weren’t on the target. They were locked on the bow that was now split in two. Kyungsoo didn’t seem to notice, nor care, that the bow had been broken in half.

Kyungsoo let the bow drop down to his sides and turned around, “You’re going to need a new bow.” He raised an eyebrow as he saw the look of distraught on Baekhyun’s face. His eyes were wide and staring down at the grass. The Monalet prince’s eyes darted down and all he could see were the flowers beneath his feet and the bow that had just broken.

Baekhyun slowly walked towards him and knelt down to pick up the bow. His eyes stayed locked on it.

Kyungsoo stayed staring at the Solaris prince, eyebrow raised. All that could be heard were the trees as the wind rattled them. Kyungsoo waited for Baekhyun to say something, but it was instead getting slightly awkward.

“So, do you want to head back now?” Kyungsoo asked.

Baekhyun looked up at him. The smile and glow in his eyes had disappeared. His mouth now hid gritted teeth and his eyes emanated anger.

“I told you I didn’t want you to use it!” Baekhyun whined at him.

“What?”

“You broke it!”

Kyungsoo rolled his eyes, “It’s a bow Baekhyun. They break all of the time. It can be replaced, stop being so melodramatic.”

Baekhyun gritted his teeth, “No! You don’t understand!”

“You’re so spoiled.”

Baekhyun scoffed, “You’re heartless.”

Kyungsoo made a face of annoyance, “It’s just a bow, calm down. Do you want me to buy you another one? They are not that hard to obtain.”

Baekhyun shook his head, “Forget it! You’ll never understand. You probably don’t know what it’s like to get a gift from a relative that is no longer alive.”

Kyungsoo’s eyes widened and he looked at the bow in Baekhyun’s hand.

“My dad’s going to kill me.” He heard Baekhyun whisper.

Kyungsoo looked away, unsure of what to say. He was raised to be considerate of others feelings, but he had instead forced Baekhyun to give him his bow. Now that Kyungsoo looked back, he realized that he had missed the look of worry on Baekhyun’s face as he handed him the arrows. He looked down at him, the Solaris prince eyes were still looking down at the bow. He looked helpless in this position, Kyungsoo felt awful. The Monalet prince had just hurt Baekhyun’s feelings, he wasn’t sure how to make things better...unless…

He kneeled next to him, “I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”

Baekhyun’s eyes widened as they stared into Kyungsoo’s. “What?”

Kyungsoo looked at the bow. “I wouldn’t have used it if I had known, forgive me.”

Baekhyun couldn’t find words to express what he felt. On one side, he was angry, but at the same time, he heard the heartfelt regret and forgiveness in Kyungsoo’s voice. He sounded so sincere.

“I can fix it.” Kyungsoo told him.

“How?”

“In Monalet, this happens all of the time. There is a sticky sap like substance that can be found underwater. Monalet is known for its watery areas, if you let me take it with me, I can put it back together again. But, you’re going to have to trust me.”

Baekhyun looked down at the bow in his hands. He was still upset at Kyungsoo. And in all honesty, he didn’t want him to touch the bow ever again. He knew anger made one feel terrible things and right now he didn’t want to see Kyungsoo ever again. But, a piece of him knew he wasn’t thinking rationally.

“You promise to fix it?”

Kyungsoo nodded, “I swear on the Moon God.”

Baekhyun sighed and let Kyungsoo take it in between his hands. 

“I need it back as soon as possible.” He told him.

Kyungsoo nodded, “I can give it back to you next time we meet up.”

“No! I need it by tomorrow. My father will figure out right away that the bow is missing and ask me what happened.”

“Why did you bring this bow to practice with?” Kyungsoo asked accusingly.

“Because it gives me confidence! It helps me.”

Kyungsoo let out a sigh. “I’ll try to have it ready by tomorrow.”

“Use the pigeon and send me a scroll by tonight. Tell me at what time of day I can pick it up and where to meet you exactly.”

“Very well.”

“Please Kyungsoo, take care of it.”

Kyungsoo could see the worry in Baekhyun’s eyes. The Solaris prince was entrusting him with such an important task.

“I promise to treat it as though it was a gift from the Moon God.”

Baekhyun felt slightly uneasy giving it to Kyungsoo. But if the Monalet prince told him there was a way to fix it, he needed to trust him. This is how this friend thing worked.

Kyungsoo climbed onto his horse, the pigeon’s cage tied around the bottom.

Baekhyun soon followed after and the both of them began to ride away. They rode slowly, neither of them uttering a word until, they arrived to the place where they needed to part ways.

“Take care of the pigeon and my bow.” Baekhyun told him again.

“You have my word.”

Baekhyun gave him a half smile before riding off. Kyungsoo slowly made his way back to Monalet.

***

Taemin stood on the practice fields of Monalet. His sword was drawn and beads of sweat rolled down his face.

“Try again Taemin.” The head knight encouraged.

Taemin let out a sigh, “I don’t think I could ever be as good as you.” He said as he put away the sword. He had been practicing his swordsmanship with the head knight for what seemed like forever. He hoped to one day be as skilled as him. The head knight was someone to admire, someone that he looked up to. Ever since he had chosen to become a knight, the head knight had trained him.

The head knight was one of the first people to take him under his wing, the first to teach him what it took to become a knight. Of course, he knew that he could never be as good as Jongin or Minseok. They had the important task of protecting the prince, meaning that they were the most skilled of anyone here. But, it didn’t matter to him. All he wanted was to make the head knight proud.

“Taemin, if you keep at it, then you will one day be an amazing knight.” The head knight told him. Taemin beamed and nodded.

The head knight’s eyes darted behind him and he straightened up, “Ah, your majesty.”

Taemin turned around and saw Kyungsoo walking into the stable, his horse next to him and something in his hand.

“Kyungsoo!” He heard behind him. That was Jongin’s voice.

Jongin ran up to Kyungsoo eagerly, “Where have you been?” He asked him.

Kyungsoo looked up at him, “I was out, taking a ride.”

Jongin’s eyes darted down, “What’s that?”

Kyungsoo looked down at the little white pigeon, who was doing its best to stay upright in the cage.

“I found him while I was out.”

Minseok came from behind Jongin, “Kyungsoo, you went out again?” He asked curiously from behind his brother.

Kyungsoo looked up at him, “Yes, for a small ride.”

“Look, he found a white pigeon!” Jongin exclaimed excitedly.

Minseok’s eyes widened in surprise as he looked inside of the cage. “Wow! He’s beautiful! Where did you find him?”

“I found him in a meadow, his leg was hurt and I brought him home.” He lied.

“I didn’t know they could be that color.” Minseok responded as he looked over the pigeon curiously.

“He’s cute.” Jongin said as he smiled wide.

“Funny…I don’t remember you taking a cage with you…” Minseok trailed off as he thought about this morning when he saw Kyungsoo leaving.

“Uh, I did. Maybe you missed it.”

“Is that a bow?” Jongin asked as Kyungsoo settled his horse.

Kyungsoo’s eyes widened and he hid it behind the cage. “Yes, it broke as I did a bit of target practice.”

“That’s funny…it’s the color of the bark of a tree.” Jongin chuckled and eyed the bow curiously. He had ever only seen blue ones, any other color surely belonged to another kingdom.

Kyungsoo shook his head, “Don’t be silly. Your eyes must have played tricks on you. It’s a light shade of blue, just like every other bow in this kingdom.”

Minseok raised his eyebrow as Kyungsoo walked away from his horse. “I’m going to put away the pigeon in my room, I will be out soon.”

“Where did you go today?” Minseok asked as Kyungsoo walked away.

Kyungsoo continued walking, “A meadow.”

“What meadow?” Minseok asked again as he took a step forward.

“Is this an interrogation?” Kyungsoo snapped.

Minseok blinked in surprise, there was no need for Kyungsoo to suddenly bristle up. “It’s just a question.”

Kyungsoo pierced his lips together, “I simply went to a meadow to think. But I’m back now.”

“No reason to get so defensive.” Jongin told him as he pouted.

Kyungsoo straightened up, “I’m not. I’ll just go up to my room and be back quickly.”

Kyungsoo walked away from the knight’s quarters and into the castle.

“What was that about?” Jongin asked.

Minseok furrowed his brows. “I’m not sure.”


	9. Chapter 9

Baekhyun stood by his window, letter in hand. His pigeon lay huddled on top of his bed, eyes shut. Baekhyun didn’t think Kyungsoo would be so fast, he didn’t think that he would receive a letter that very night:

_Meet me at the clearing, the one we were forced to fight in._

_I intend for this to be quick, so please, do not keep me waiting._

_I shall wait for you with your bow when the sun is directly above our heads._

_-Kyungsoo_

The letter had the stamp of the Monalet symbol, right next to Kyungsoo’s name. The paper was a light shade of blue. He wondered if the rumors about Monalet being covered in a light shade of blue was true. Is that their color? The color that resembles their kingdom? It would seem so.

Baekhyun looked out. The sun was barely coming out. He didn’t plan this. He knew that he told Kyungsoo how he needed the bow as soon as possible, but he didn’t expect the Monalet prince to be so swift. He was grateful and excited. He could hardly believe his luck.

He would need to eat and then find a way to sneak out. Hopefully there was no assignment that needed to be done today.

“Baekhyun!”

Baekhyun gasped in surprise as he turned around quickly. The note was squeezed tightly in his other hand, behind his back.

Chanyeol stood by the entry way. He had his training attire on and he was standing up straight. “Time to eat.” He told him.

Baekhyun nodded, “Oh yes.” He squeezed the note tighter in his fist. “I will be down.”

Chanyeol smiled at him as he entered the room, “Hey Baekhyun, do you ever get bored here?”

Baekhyun blinked, “Hm?”

“You know, it can be a bit boring around here sometimes.”

Baekhyun shrugged, “I suppose so.”

“You wanna sneak out sometime?” Chanyeol asked enthusiastically.

Baekhyun smiled, “Sure.”

Chanyeol smiled back, “Like old times. Actually, the last time I snuck out was with you guys seasons ago. How about you?”

Baekhyun looked up at the ceiling as he thought about his response. “I can’t really remember.”

Chanyeol stared at him before speaking again, “I see…” He shook his head, “Anyways, I’ll go on ahead.”

Chanyeol walked out of Baekhyun’s room, the prince let out a sigh of relief. He looked down at the note in his hand and looked around his room. He ultimately decided that the best thing to do was to tear it up into tiny pieces. He cut them up so small that no one would ever be able to put it together again. There would be no trace that there ever was a note.

He walked down to eat breakfast with his family. He was eating happily, until his father told him, “Baekhyun, you shall practice your archery with Chanyeol and Jongdae today.”

He winced and shut his eyes. This is just what he needed, an assignment where his knights had to be with him…great.

After breakfast, the trio made their way towards the training grounds. Baekhyun needed to find a way to sneak away. He hated how he couldn’t tell his knights what was going on, but he didn’t have any other choice. They wouldn’t understand, they would tell him to stop what he was doing immediately. But, Baekhyun didn’t see what he was doing as wrong. If Kyungsoo had wanted to hurt him, he would have done it by now.

“Alright Baekhyun, time to practice.” Jongdae said as he tossed him a bow. Baekhyun caught it as his thoughts got interrupted.

“Pay attention.” Chanyeol said as he walked by him.

Baekhyun pouted as he ran after them, “I am!”

They stopped in front of the targets, “Baekhyun, just watch as we do it.” Jongdae instructed as he aimed for the target. He shot and the arrow landed in the center as usual.

Chanyeol scoffed, “That’s nothing.” He aimed and shot, earning a perfect ten as well.

Baekhyun smiled, “Alright, my turn.” He aimed and took a deep breath. Kyungsoo’s words echoed in his mind. He thought about the tips he had given him and released the arrow onto the target. He earned a nine and he stood in disbelief.

Chanyeol and Jongdae immediately ran to his side, “Nice!” They congratulated. Baekhyun could hardly believe it. He was improving, he was actually improving!

He smiled and jumped up and down with Jongdae and Chanyeol.

“Have you been practicing in secret? You barely come to the training grounds.” Jongdae asked.

Baekhyun smiled wider, “Yeah! I have been practicing a lot with—” Baekhyun clammed up as he realized what was about to slip out. He had been so caught up in the moment that he almost allowed his lips to reveal his secret.

“With?”

“With…great motivation!” Baekhyun exclaimed. “I have been really motivated and I think that’s what has been helping me a lot.”

“Where have you been practicing?” Jongdae asked.

Baekhyun never should have said anything. “Don’t tell me you’re feeling threatened Jongdae.” He teased, hoping that it would change the subject.

Jongdae scoffed, “As if royal pain.” He backed away and aimed for the target again, “Bet it was just a lucky shot.”

Baekhyun laughed, “We’ll see.”

They went on like this for a little while longer, until Baekhyun saw the sunlight over head was slowly rising higher and higher. It was time he made an excuse to escape.

“Guys, I actually have to go to town.” Baekhyun said.

“Oh? What for?” Chanyeol asked.

“Sehun wanted me to take his pigeon to his shack. He just wants to make sure I’m taking care of him.”

Jongdae chuckled. “Really? He doesn’t trust you at all?”

Baekhyun laughed, “I guess not. I’ll be back fast.”

“You don’t want us to go with you?” Chanyeol asked.

“Well...I mean you can. But I need you to cover for me. Tell my dad I’m simply taking a break.”

Jongdae let out a huff, “If you’re not back soon, we’re fetching you from Sehun’s home.”

Baekhyun nodded, “Alright, that’s fair.”

***

Kyungsoo hoped that Baekhyun received his letter. In all honesty, he was a little wary sending the note with a pigeon, but he had no other way of contacting him. He walked out of his room and towards the stable to fetch his horse. The plan was to only stay for a little bit and then leave. He had other matters to attend to, he wanted to visit Hoseok and see if the crops had gotten worse.

“Kyungsoo?”

Kyungsoo swung around to see Minseok looking at him, giving him a puzzled expression. “I thought we were going to see Hoseok today.”

Kyungsoo turned back around, “We are.”

Minseok looked down at Kyungsoo’s hand, where the fixed bow was held firmly.

“Where are you going with the bow?”

Kyungsoo looked at it, then back at Minseok. “I found it yesterday and picked it up. But I decided that it would be best to put it back, in case the owner comes looking for it.”

“Is that the same bow you were carrying around yesterday? With the pigeon?”

“Yes.” Kyungsoo responded.

“I thought you said it was blue.”

Kyungsoo had one leg over his horse and paused for a bit before getting fully on. “I said that because I wasn’t in the mood to explain at the time. I’ve been stressing over the crops.” It wasn’t a complete lie. He was stressing out over the crops.

Minseok gave him a small smile. “I know you’ve been stressed, but you can take it easy too. Don’t worry, we’ll figure out the problem soon enough.”

Kyungsoo gave him a small smile back, “I just worry over the kingdom.”

Minseok smiled wider, “All good leaders do.”

“I won’t be long,” Kyungsoo began. “I’ll drop off the bow and be back quickly.”

Minseok sent him a small nod in reply, “I’ll wait for Jongin to get ready. He should still be in our room.”

Minseok saw as Kyungsoo ran off with his horse. The knight wasn’t sure why, but something told him that Kyungsoo wasn’t telling him everything. He felt slight unease as he saw Kyungsoo ride away. His sworn duty was to protect Kyungsoo, with his life if necessary. What kind of knight would he be if he felt uneasy and simply let his prince ride away? 

***

Baekhyun arrived at the clearing where Kyungsoo told him to meet. It was in between the small woods that belonged to Solaris and the small woods right across that belonged to Monalet. In all honesty, Baekhyun was raised to believe that this clearing belonged to Solaris. But, now he seemed to be questioning a lot of things he was taught.

He hid behind a small tree before deciding to walk a little further into the clearing. He looked around cautiously, knowing that being in a clearing like this could be dangerous. Once he felt comfortable, he straightened up and settled himself to sit down. This had been the place he had sat when he had met Kyungsoo. That seemed like long ago, things seemed different…somehow.

“Baekhyun?”

Baekhyun looked up to see Kyungsoo walking towards him. He had his bow in one hand, treating it as though it was a sacred gift.

Baekhyun smiled wide as he stood up, “My bow!” he exclaimed excitedly.

Kyungsoo scurried in front of him, “Not so loud.” Kyungsoo whispered as his eyes darted around. “We’re in an open field. This needs to be quick.” The Monalet prince extended his hand out to give the bow to the Solaris prince. Baekhyun took it eagerly in his hands. It was as if it had never broken! The marks were gone as well. Kyungsoo must have fixed it and polished it to make it look brand new.

“I wouldn’t use it again. Just to be on the safe side.”

Baekhyun looked up at Kyungsoo, who was looking down at the bow. “Thank you.” The Monalet prince’s eyes darted up as he heard Baekhyun speak.

“Thank you so much.” Baekhyun repeated as he held the bow closer to him. “I don’t know how I could ever repay you for this.”

Kyungsoo felt his heart swell up in pride. Seeing all of the emotion in Baekhyun’s eyes and smile made him realize how Solarians weren’t pompous, nor were they ungrateful people. Baekhyun was proving all of those nasty stereotypes wrong little by little.

Kyungsoo shook his head, “No need to thank me. I’m happy I could help.”

Baekhyun felt as though nothing could make him happier right now. He felt so enthusiastic that the Monalet prince…no…his friend, was such a reliable person.

“I think it’s time we head back. But, we’re still on for tomorrow, right?”

Baekhyun nodded, “Of course. I’ll see you then.”

“Kyungsoo?” a high pitched voice called out from the behind the Monalet prince. Kyungsoo’s eyes widened as he quickly distinguished who it belonged to.

Kyungsoo turned around and there he was. His knight standing behind him in confusion. It seemed he was walking towards him, but stopped in his tracks.

“Who are you talking to?” Minseok asked.

Kyungsoo gulped, his face still expressing shock and disbelief…”I—“

“Is that--?” Minseok’s eyes widened as his eyes scanned the figure behind Kyungsoo. His eyes were staring directly at the emblem on Baekhyun’s robe. The yellow and orange shades stood out brightly. The sun that was on it was easy to identify, the Monalet knight knew who Baekhyun was. Kyungsoo saw as Minseok’s hand reached for the sword by his side.

He heard Baekhyun chuckle from behind him. “Do not tell me you need your knight to fight your battles.”

Kyungsoo turned to look back at Baekhyun. He was sending him a small smirk, eyebrow raised. “Why must we meet again at the same clearing?” Baekhyun said as he took a few steps away, “Perhaps fate has a plan for us to duel, what do you think?”

Kyungsoo furrowed his brows, but then he caught on. Baekhyun was quick witted.

Kyungsoo straightened up, “Listen Solarian, leave now and I promise my knight and I won’t rip you to shreds.”

“We have him!” Minseok yelled from behind Kyungsoo. “We can slay their little prince, destroying their only heir to the throne!”

Kyungsoo gulped and raised his hand, “I make the decisions here! Should we perhaps show mercy? Give Solarians a warning as to what will happen if they come onto our lands again?”

Baekhyun let out a scoff, “Your lands? You are clearly mistaken Monalet.”

“Give them a warning?” The Monalet prince heard Minseok approaching him. “Of course…we need to make sure they get the message.”

Kyungsoo turned to look back at his knight, he was walking at a fast pace towards them. Kyungsoo couldn’t allow Minseok to get any nearer. If he got closer, things would get dangerous for Baekhyun. There is no way the Solaris prince brought his sword with him, Kyungsoo had no weapon on him either. If Minseok decided to attack, there would be no way to defend Baekhyun.

“Minseok, I declare we show him mercy.”

Minseok stopped just behind Kyungsoo, “You’re too kind Kyungsoo.” His cold eyes drilled into Baekhyun, “Let’s rid of him. His knights are nowhere in sight. He is unarmed and alone.”

Baekhyun had just placed his full trust into Kyungsoo. There was nothing he could do if Kyungsoo suddenly decided to turn his back on him. To say that the Solarian prince was scared, would be an understatement. But, Baekhyun kept his head held high, showing no trace of fear.

“Minseok, we show him mercy…for today.”

Minseok gritted his teeth together and took out his sword hastily. “It’ll be an easy kill Kyungsoo. I promise to make it quick, no one in Solaris will ever know it was us.”

Kyungsoo needed to think fast, Minseok was set on hurting Baekhyun. “Minseok, I make the rules. I don’t wish for there to be bloodshed today. We shall simply let him go back home and tell his kingdom to watch themselves, for next time, there will be no mercy.”

Minseok scoffed, “Our prince is too kind. But, he only needs his legs to run back.” Minseok knelt down as if to attack, Baekhyun took in a gasp, but the knight had no time to react. A loud grunt was heard from their left and all of their heads turned. There walking towards them hungrily, was a brown bear.

***

Chanyeol and Jongdae made their way angrily towards Baekhyun’s room. They were coming back from Sehun’s home. Apparently, Baekhyun had never stopped by and he hadn’t even made contact with him ever since they had seen him last.

“He lied to us!” Chanyeol yelled out.

Jongdae shook his head, “He better be in his room.”

They walked inside and saw an empty room with no trace that anyone had been in there recently. The white pigeon laid on Baekhyun’s bed huddled comfortably as it looked up at the knights.

“He snuck out again!” Jongdae exclaimed in between gritted teeth.

Chanyeol tightened his fists. “I am not letting him out of my sight!” Just what was that prince hiding? Why was he being so secretive?

***

Minseok had never seen a bear up close before. He had heard from others that the best thing to do when one saw a bear, was to stand still. He tried remaining motionless, but he realized that it wouldn’t work. The bear got closer and then got on its hind legs, hovering above them.

Minseok needed to act fast, the bear was about to have them for a full course meal. His mind worked fast and that’s when he got a brilliant idea. He looked over at the Solaris prince, whose mouth was gawking open, stunned….perfect.

The knight reached out for him and grabbed his arm harshly, Baekhyun released a small squeal as Minseok flung him towards the bear.

Baekhyun fell on his knees, right in front of the creature; now was the time to act. Minseok grabbed Kyungsoo and made a run for it while the bear was distracted. The knight didn’t miss how the bear raised its paw and threw it down. He heard the Solaris prince release a loud scream of agony…not his problem though.

Kyungsoo barely registered what was happening when Minseok pulled him away, but he snapped out of it when he heard Baekhyun’s scream. His eyes widened and he turned around. Baekhyun had somehow gotten onto his back and the bear was hovering over him, teeth bared.

Baekhyun’s shining eyes had faded, they now held fear. His lip trembled and Kyungsoo knew he needed to do something. He couldn’t let his friend get hurt, never. Kyungsoo slipped out of Minseok’s hold and grabbed his knight’s sword before Minseok could realize what was going on, “Kyungsoo, what are you--?”

But Kyungsoo was already running towards the bear, sword tightly in his hand. Kyungsoo had training on how to handle a bear, but he had never had to use it, until now.

Baekhyun looked up at the bear, was this it? Was this how it would all end? He hadn’t even gotten to say goodbye to his mother, father, knights, kingdom…will he simply become a memory? His robe from behind had torn, he had gotten lucky and not gotten his skin touched. But his back was now exposed and he decided to roll over to face the bear. But, now that he was in this position, he felt hopeless.

Kyungsoo ran into the bear from behind and climbed a top of it. The bear let out a growl as it began to stand on its hind legs. Baekhyun quickly used this time to escape from being underneath it. He crawled hastily away and stood up when he was at a safe distance…Kyungsoo had just saved his life. The bear thrashed wildly to have Kyungsoo thrown off, but the Monalet prince somehow managed to keep his grip on it. If he could just find the spot he should dig the sword in, he would be able to make the bear go unconscious long enough for them to escape.

“Baekhyun! Run!” Kyungsoo yelled out.

Baekhyun blinked in surprise and looked around to see how he could help. Why today of all days did he decide to come unarmed?

“Kyungsoo!” Minseok yelled out as he ran towards the bear. He got on one knee and shot an arrow into the bear’s leg, earning an angry grunt. “Kyungsoo! It’s somewhere around the back of the neck!”

Baekhyun remembered the training he had been given as a child against a bear. Unfortunately, it was so long ago, he could remember nothing.

“I’m out of arrows!” the knight yelled out.

Baekhyun looked over at Minseok, who was frantically searching himself for some kind of weapon, until he pulled out a slingshot.

Baekhyun’s eyes widened as he picked up a rock. He ran towards the knight and snatched the slingshot away.

“Give that back!” Minseok yelled as he reached for it, but Baekhyun acted quickly. He put the rock into the slingshot and threw it back, aiming and ultimately shooting.

He got his target, the bear’s eye. It let out another scream as it landed on all four’s shaking his head, trying to get the pesky thing out of its eye. On all four’s Kyungsoo was able to see the spot he had been looking for. He used the sword to hit it and as if on cue, the bear stopped thrashing and fell. Kyungsoo held on to the fur tightly as he shut his eyes. A loud thud was heard and the prince knew…they would live to see another day. He opened his eyes slowly and straightened up a bit.

It went silent, the only thing that could be heard was Kyungsoo as he let out heavy breaths. Minseok’s mouth was wide open…the Solaris prince had just…saved…he shook the thought away immediately and instead ran towards Kyungsoo. He helped the Monalet prince off of the bear, “Kyungsoo! Are you alright?”

“I’m fine. We need to leave before it wakes up.” Kyungsoo said quickly.

Minseok furrowed his brows, feeling slightly confused over the current events.

“Thank you.” Baekhyun said.

Kyungsoo looked over at him, knowing that Minseok would question him later.

“Get out of here.” Kyungsoo responded, unfortunately, he still had to play the part.

Baekhyun ran off without uttering a single word. He wanted to say more, demonstrate his gratitude. But, unfortunately, Kyungsoo and he were enemies. That was all they could ever be. 

***

Jongin glared playfully at Taemin across from him. He jumped around as he waited for Taemin to make a move. Taemin let out a chuckle and playfully jabbed at him with his sword. Jongin dodged it and jabbed back. They were supposed to be training, but there was nothing wrong with taking a small break.

“You’re slow.” Taemin teased. “How did you become the prince’s knight?”

Jongin laughed, “I don’t think I had a say in the matter actually.”

“Still, you’re so lucky.” Taemin pouted. “I wish I was half as good as you.”

Jongin raised his eyebrow. They were being playful, why did Taemin have to suddenly begin comparing their skills? “You are good. You’re one of the best knights I know, my brother is first though.” Minseok would always be the best knight to Jongin. His older brother had taught him everything he knows. He was the most skilled knight Jongin knew.

“Taemin, you’re a great knight. Why are you suddenly doubting yourself?” Jongin asked as he pouted.

Taemin shrugged, “I think I need more training.”

Jongin scoffed. “The only reason Minseok and I are so skilled is because we were given training once we learned to walk.” His brother and he were destined to become the prince’s knights once their mother had Minseok. Their parents were the king’s knights. Their fate was sealed once they were born.

The head knight suddenly walked towards them, appearing from out of nowhere. “I think you are a wonderful knight.” Jongin turned his body and looked over at him. He had still not forgotten how he had made a move against Kyungsoo. The prince had always claimed that the knight gave him a bad feeling, ever since that day, Jongin understood what he meant.

“You think so?” Taemin beamed as his face lit up. The head knight was practically like a father to Taemin since his parents had passed away.

“I know so Taemin.” The head knight smiled.

Jongin scoffed and put his sword away.  The only reason he would tolerate the head knight is because he had to. After what happened with him and Kyungsoo, he didn’t want to be anywhere near him.

Just as he was about to excuse himself to look for Minseok, he heard his brother’s voice call out for the Monalet prince.

Kyungsoo turned the corner and stopped in his tracks when he saw the trio of knights. His eyes went wide and his mouth slightly opened.

“Is everything alright?” Jongin asked.

Kyungsoo looked at Jongin, and then at the head knight. “Fine.” He responded sternly.

Minseok suddenly turned the corner and stopped behind Kyungsoo. His eyebrows were furrowed, but they eased up once he saw the knights.

Minseok gulped and took Kyungsoo’s arm, “We need to talk.”

“Is everything alright your highness?” The head knight asked.

Kyungsoo looked up at him, “Yes, just trivial matters concerning my knight and I, nothing to worry about.”

“I think we should get ready to leave for the Eastern side in your room, what do you think Kyungsoo?” Minseok asked.

Kyungsoo had no way of escaping, he knew he was going to have to face him sooner or later. He let out a sigh, “Very well.”

Minseok nodded and then looked over at his younger brother, “Jongin, please join us.”

Jongin bit his bottom lip and walked towards them. What was causing the strange aura that was emanating from the both of them?

“If you’ll excuse us.” Minseok said before walking off with the both of them.

The trio walked briskly away into the palace, leaving the head knight and Taemin. They felt a bit confused and bewildered at the sudden events. Minseok and Kyungsoo had looked so…agitated.

“What was that about?” The head knight asked.

Taemin shrugged, “I’m not too sure. They tend to hide secrets amongst each other sometimes.”

“They don’t tell you about them?”

Taemin shrugged, “Sometimes they do.”

***

The Monalet knights followed their prince into his room. Kyungsoo was still unsure of how he would answer the interrogation. He knew he couldn’t tell them the truth, yet. But, what could he possibly answer that would make any sense?

Once inside his room, he turned around to find Minseok scowling at him. Jongin had his eyebrow raised in confusion, as well as, a little pout on his lips.

“Explain.” Minseok commanded.

“What?” Kyungsoo asked.

“You know perfectly well what!”

Jongin scoffed, “I don’t have the slightest clue what is going on.” He said as he threw his hands up in the air.

Minseok looked over at him, “I went out with Kyungsoo and found him with the Solaris prince arguing. Then, a bear came out of nowhere and Kyungsoo…” Minseok’s eyes narrowed in on the Monalet prince. “Saved him from being eaten.”

Jongin’s jaw dropped, “Saved him?!”

Kyungsoo shushed them as he grabbed onto their arms. “Keep it down. We have to keep this a secret.” He whispered.

Jongin tugged his arm away. “Keep what a secret?!”

Kyungsoo sighed as he let them go. This is why he still couldn’t tell them the truth. They would be full of prejudice and allow their hatred to get the best of them. “Listen, I have been raised to watch out for others all of my life. My instincts got in the way and I couldn’t bear seeing someone get hurt.”

“But, he’s a Solarian!” Jongin let out in an outburst.

“Quiet down!” Kyungsoo commanded.

“But you knew his name. You even told him to run.” Minseok added.

Kyungsoo pierced his lips together, “I simply happen to know his name. I assure you, I won’t let my teachings of being kind get in the way again.”

Minseok pierced his lips. There was something Kyungsoo wasn’t telling them. Every fiber of his being was telling him so.

“You do understand if it was the other way around, the Solaris prince would have allowed you to get eaten.” Jongin told him.

Kyungsoo’s jaw clenched. He had to fight the urge to educate his knight on how wrong he was. Baekhyun would have also risked his life to save him, he was sure of it.

“I am well aware.” Kyungsoo replied.

“Just be careful Kyungsoo.” Minseok told him.

Kyungsoo nodded, “I always am.”

Jongin let out a sigh as he leaned into Minseok, “You worry me Kyungsoo.”

Kyungsoo smiled at him, “No need. We need to prepare to see Hoseok.”

Minseok nodded, “You go on ahead. We will catch up with you, I just need to lecture Jongin over a mistake earlier.”

Kyungsoo laughed, Jongin blinked in surprise, “Mistake?”

“I’ll see you two at the stable.” Kyungsoo responded. He walked out of his room, leaving Minseok and Jongin alone.

Jongin straightened up and looked over at Minseok, “What mistake? Was it because I overslept? I was tired.” Jongin whined.

Minseok shook his head, “No, I just needed Kyungsoo to leave. He is hiding something, I can feel it.”

Jongin furrowed his brows, “He would never hide anything from us.” Jongin replied.

“I thought so too, now, I’m not too sure.”

Jongin furrowed his eyes, “Well…how do we figure out?”

Minseok’s eyes furrowed, “It’s simple, but I’m going to need you to wake up early tomorrow.”

***

Baekhyun arrived to his kingdom with a tear in his robe. It was easy to explain it away to the villagers. He said he had simply stumbled as he went out. However, his knights were much more difficult.

“What’s with the tear?” Chanyeol interrogated as he stood over him in his room.

Baekhyun shrugged, “I tripped.”

“How was Sehun?” Jongdae asked.

“Sehun?” And then it clicked in Baekhyun’s mind. He had told his knights he was visiting Sehun. “Ah yes, he is great.”

“You didn’t take the pigeon though.”

Baekhyun looked up at them, “Yes, I simply settled him into the cage once I arrived into my room.”

They both mused in unison, they were acting really strange.

“What are you guys hiding?” Baekhyun asked.

Chanyeol shook his head, “Nothing, why? Are you hiding something?”

Baekhyun chuckled, “No, but I would prefer getting dressed alone.”

“Of course.” Jongdae replied as he and Chanyeol walked out. “We’ll wait for you outside.”

Baekhyun nodded, “Alright.”

They left the room, but not before taking one final glance back. They saw Baekhyun’s hand, the one he had claimed had a minor cut, but instead of a small cut, there was a big scar right in the center. The prince was hiding something from them and they were going to figure out what it was.


	10. Chapter 10

Kyungsoo got up just as always. He got dressed and washed himself before going outside to the stable. It was a normal day, just like any other. The Monalet prince had no reason to expect otherwise. It did occur to him, however, that perhaps Baekhyun would not want to meet today. But the thought vanished quickly once he remembered that Baekhyun never told him that he didn’t want to. If anything, he hoped he could see the latter again soon. He needed to make sure he was alright. The bear from yesterday was dangerous and he wanted to make sure that he didn’t get injured badly.

The prince quickly snuck into the stable and looked around to make sure no one was around. It was a bit foggy in Monalet today, but luckily he saw no one. He climbed onto his horse and it trotted off out of the kingdom.

It was only foggy inside the kingdom, but out of it, the sun was beginning to make itself visible. Once the horse grew comfortable, it ran to the familiar location. It seemed as though even the horse knew where to go now by heart.

Baekhyun arrived to the clearing first this time. He left his horse by the small tunnel, squeezing into the hole. He climbed out and shook himself off. Kyungsoo had yet to come. He let out a small sigh and walked into the center. He settled himself onto the tree comfortably and leaned back. He would be sure to thank Kyungsoo properly today. The Monalet prince had saved his life and he would forever be grateful for that.

He shut his eyes as he let the small stream lull him into a gentle slumber. This was his escape from reality, a place where he could be truly himself. Perhaps he had to thank the Monalet prince for that too. He has been a kind and sweet friend, although he knew Kyungsoo would deny it. Baekhyun knew that Kyungsoo considered him a friend too.

Kyungsoo arrived into the woods a little after Baekhyun. He climbed off of his horse and walked inside, with his horse following behind. He stopped at the tunnel, two horses were next to Baekhyun’s. Kyungsoo tilted his head in curiosity. It appeared two wild horses decided to keep Baekhyun’s horse company as it stood there alone. Kyungsoo looked over the horses as they each ate some of the bushes close to the tunnel into the clearing.

The Monalet prince let out a small chuckle as his horse joined the three of them. It wasn’t common to see wild horses in this part of the woods, but it was nice to see nonetheless.

The Monalet prince got on his knees and quickly entered the tunnel. Once inside, he saw Baekhyun leaning on a tree. The Solaris prince appeared peaceful with his eyes shut. The sun shined on him and seemed to reflect off his skin. Is this what Solaris looked like? Because if so, then he could understand why many would be in awe.

He stepped closer and leaned into Baekhyun. He reached his hand out and flicked the Solaris prince’s forehead. Baekhyun’s hand quickly went up to cover his forehead, “Ow!” He exclaimed as he threw a glare in Kyungsoo’s direction. Kyungsoo laughed as he straightened up, “Wake up.” He told him.

Baekhyun sent him a crooked smile, “You know, this whole time I thought you had no sense of humor.”

Kyungsoo sent him a small smile back, “And I thought nothing could shut you up. Imagine my surprise when I saw you laying there with your mouth shut.”

Baekhyun snickered, “It was just a small nap.”

***

“What is he doing?”

“I think he is just taking a nap.” Chanyeol whispered back as he huddled deeper into the bush.

“Is this what he does? Just relax at the clearing?”

“Seems so.”, Chanyeol pouted. “Well this was boring.” Perhaps the knights had the wrong impression the whole time. They have been spying on Baekhyun ever since he snuck out of the kingdom. But now, their legs were sore from crouching for so long. “Let’s go home while he sleeps.”

Jongdae pouted, perhaps Baekhyun was hiding nothing and he had misread everything. “Maybe we should.”

Just as Jongdae was about to try and make his escape, he heard footsteps and he looked up. Someone was approaching Baekhyun. Jongdae tilted his head to the side as he tried to get a better look. Who was this?

“Jongdae, who is that?”

“I—I don’t know.”

***

Kyungsoo sat next to Baekhyun who was sending him a small smile.

“I want to thank you for yesterday.” Baekhyun told him as he put his hand down from his forehead. “You saved my life and I am forever in your debt.”

Kyungsoo shook his head, “You owe me nothing. Tell me, are you hurt?”

Baekhyun shook his head, “No. I simply got a ripped robe that I asked the seamstress to fix.”

Kyungsoo chuckled, “You asked a seamstress?”

Baekhyun nodded, “Don’t worry, she won’t tell my parents, nor my knights.”

Kyungsoo let out a small sigh, “We need to be more careful, you saved me yesterday too. My mind went blank when I saw my knight.”

Baekhyun laughed, “I panicked too. Luckily I thought fast. What happened when you got home?”

Kyungsoo shook his head as he remembered yesterday. “Well…Minseok, my knight, didn’t ease up. He kept questioning until I gave him an answer.”

Baekhyun smiled, “Well, I trust you resolved it. You aren’t too dimwitted…for a Monalet.” Baekhyun sent a small wink to Kyungsoo as he said the last part.

Kyungsoo merely scoffed as he shook his head, “And you…are annoying. But, that’s just you.”

Baekhyun giggled, “I’ll have you know, I have been told that I am very funny.”

Kyungsoo laughed, “Yeah, by people of Solaris. That doesn’t count.”

Baekhyun’s mouth dropped, “My horse thinks I’m a riot too. You should see how much he jumps around after I make a joke.”

Kyungsoo quirked an eyebrow up, “Is that before or after you promise it will be the last one you tell him?”

Baekhyun laughed, Kyungsoo was secretly a little funny.

“That reminds me, there was wild horses around yours today.” Kyungsoo told him as their laughing fit began to fade away.

“Oh?”

Kyungsoo nodded, “I assume they were keeping him company.”

Baekhyun smiled, “I want to see. Besides, it’s about time I take you to the next place for today anyway.”

Kyungsoo stood up, “Surprise me.”

Baekhyun followed pursuit as he stood up next to Kyungsoo, “Alright. I have just the place.”

The both of them squeezed through the tunnel one after another. They took a couple steps out and realized that their horses were a little further away. They seemed to be jumping around.

Baekhyun tilted his head and smiled, “I think they’re playing.”

Kyungsoo chuckled as he walked on ahead. “I suppose so.”

Baekhyun followed behind him at a close distance. The horses weren’t too far away, but still a good distance away from the tunnel. They got closer, but stopped before they got to them. It seemed a little rude to suddenly stop them from playing when they looked to be enjoying themselves so much. Kyungsoo seemed to think the same thing.

The Monalet prince turned around to look at Baekhyun, “I don’t think we will be leaving the woods right now.”

“I was thinking the same thing.” Baekhyun added.

Kyungsoo grinned at him. “Well…how can we pass the time?” Kyungsoo asked.

Baekhyun shrugged, “You want to duel? For fun this time.” They hadn’t forgotten the first time they dueled. The queens had pushed them into doing it. Now, if Baekhyun dueled with Kyungsoo, he would want it to be for fun. He didn’t want to hurt Kyungsoo in any way, there was no reason to.

Kyungsoo chuckled as he pulled out his sword. “Any special rules?”

Baekhyun pulled out his own sword, “The usual. No blood or bruises.”

Kyungsoo got into position as he angled his sword. “Alright.”

Baekhyun smiled, “Go!”

They both aimed for each other. Baekhyun was fast, Kyungsoo had to admit that. The Solaris prince was very agile and able to predict moves at a rapid pace. Every time Kyungsoo took a swing at him, it seemed like Baekhyun was one step ahead. He was light on his feet and dodged everything at a quick pace. Even the way he jabbed was fast, Kyungsoo gasped at one point as he barely dodged.

What Baekhyun lacked in archery, he made up for it in swordsmanship.

“You can’t win.” Baekhyun told him as he took a couple steps back.

Kyungsoo scoffed, “We’ll see.”

Again, Kyungsoo took a swing, which Baekhyun deflected effortlessly. Kyungsoo stumbled on his feet for a spilt second and Baekhyun saw his opportunity. The Solaris prince dove in and swung his sword up, causing Kyungsoo’s sword to go flying into the air. Next thing Kyungsoo knew, Baekhyun was smiling in front of him, sword by his neck. From this distance, Kyungsoo could see three moles on Baekhyun’s face, that when connected would make a perfect straight line.

“You lost.” Baekhyun told him, eyes playful and smile mischievous.

***

“Do you see Kyungsoo? I could have sworn the trail lead us into the woods.” Minseok said as he and his brother dove deeper into the woods.

“I don’t see him, but he should be here somewhere.” Jongin replied.

Minseok sighed, “How did we manage to lose him? Our plan was fool proof.”

The plan they had concocted last night was to follow Kyungsoo wherever it was he was going. To do this, they laced the horse’s hooves with blue paint made from underwater plants. The horse left blue tracks as it ran out of the stable this morning, the bad thing, they didn’t account for the tracks to stop. So now, they have been walking around the woods, searching for their prince.

“Next time, we should just follow him.” Jongin said as he pushed away a shrub.

Minseok suddenly covered the younger’s mouth as he pulled him down.

Jongin’s eyes widened as he looked up at Minseok.

“Do you hear that?”

Jongin looked ahead and listened, he heard…something…then…a scoff. _“We’ll see.”_

Jongin looked up at Minseok, that was Kyungsoo’s voice.

“It came from straight ahead.”

Jongin struggled away from Minseok’s grip and took a couple steps forward. The sound of metal was heard hitting against each other and Jongin sprinted forward, Minseok followed behind.

Jongin removed a branch in his way and there right in front of him, he saw Kyungsoo. The prince had a sword close to his throat and he looked helpless as he stood there. Kyungsoo’s sword laid next to him, he must have lost in a duel. Jongin’s fist tightened and he quickly reached for his sword.

“You lost.” The stranger in front of Kyungsoo uttered, a teasing tone in his voice.

Jongin didn’t know the person in front of Kyungsoo, but there was no way he was about to let anyone threaten him with a sword.

***

Chanyeol watched with curious eyes as Baekhyun pressed his sword towards the stranger’s neck.

“Who is this?” Jongdae asked.

Chanyeol shrugged, “Perhaps a friend that Baekhyun doesn’t want us to know about.”

Jongdae shrugged, he couldn’t remember the last time Baekhyun had met someone outside the kingdom. He scoffed, “Well whoever it is, they seem to get along well.”

Chanyeol chuckled, “And to think we were worried…over nothing it seems.”

“You lost.” They saw as Baekhyun mouthed the words quietly.

“He always was a show off.” Jongdae said as he shook his head.

Chanyeol smiled, “Yeah, well we should get home before he figures out—“

Chanyeol didn’t get to finish his sentence because from his peripheral vision, he saw someone run up to Baekhyun, and kick the prince onto the floor.

Jongdae gasped and immediately pulled out his sword, running to slay whoever had just shoved his friend to the ground.

***

It all happened too fast. Baekhyun was standing in front of Kyungsoo and next thing he knew, his sword was sent flying from his hand. He felt a light sting as his wound opened up again and he felt as someone pushed him down. He fell down with a hard thud on the floor. He looked up to see a sword right in front of his face.

Then suddenly, the sword went upwards as another sword hit it, deflecting what was about to happen. Baekhyun’s eyes darted around and he realized, Jongdae and Chanyeol were standing in front of him, swords drawn.

He looked over at Kyungsoo, whose mouth was gawking open. In front of the Monalet prince were two knights who both wore the moon emblem, a single star next to it. That meant that these were Kyungsoo’s knights…the prince’s knights.

Baekhyun gasped as he looked over at Chanyeol and Jongdae.

Kyungsoo wasn’t sure what to do. How was it possible that they found him? They weren’t supposed to be here! They were to be at home.

“We meet again Solarian scum.” Minseok said, eyes narrowed into a scowl.

Chanyeol scoffed, “Time to finish what we started, isn’t it?”

Baekhyun knew he needed to do something, but he was unsure as to what. He needed to stop his knights from attacking, but he didn’t know if Kyungsoo would be able to control his.

Jongin steadied himself, ready to attack, “I have been waiting for the day I could rip you to shreds. After both of you, it’s your prince’s turn.”

Kyungsoo furrowed his brows and took a step forward. “Put your swords down!” He commanded.

Minseok blinked in surprise and looked at Kyungsoo, “Excuse me?”

“You heard my command.”

Kyungsoo looked over at Baekhyun and the prince immediately realized what he was going to do. “Chanyeol, Jongdae, there will be no fight.”

Jongdae chuckled, “Like hell there won’t be.”

Just as Jongdae said this, he sprinted towards the trio in front of them.

Minseok prepared himself and deflected Jongdae’s attack. The only thing that could be heard in that moment was metal against metal.

Kyungsoo’s eyes widened, “Minseok, stop!”

It fell on deaf ears as Minseok continued to fight, “I’m getting rid of you today!” The eldest yelled.

Jongin’s eyes slowly made their way towards Baekhyun, who was staring in horror at his knight fighting. Jongin looked over at the other Solaris knight who had his eyes fixated on him. His eyes looked intense as they dug craters into him.

Jongin scowled back with just as much intensity.

Chanyeol gritted his teeth, but knew he couldn’t move away from his position. Baekhyun was right behind him and he couldn’t risk anything happening to him.

“Jongdae! Stop!” Baekhyun yelled out.

“It’s no use! They won’t listen! This is useless…”

Baekhyun looked over at Kyungsoo who looked as if he had just given up. He looked as though he wanted to do something, but couldn’t figure out what. His features were all scrunched up together as he looked at Minseok fight. He was worried.

Baekhyun furrowed his brows as he finally made a decision on what he was going to do. He looked over at Chanyeol and grabbed the sword from his hands.

Chanyeol’s eyes widened as he saw Baekhyun sprinting towards the fight with his sword, “Baekhyun!” Chanyeol yelled out.

Baekhyun ignored it and swung the sword in between the fight, causing Minseok and Jongdae to stumble.

“Baekhyun, what are you--?” Jongdae didn’t get time to finish his sentence before Baekhyun swung the sword upwards, launching Jongdae’s sword out of his hand.

Kyungsoo’s eyes widened as the scene unfolded in front of him. Baekhyun was trying to stop the fight by getting right in the center! Was he insane?!

“Baekhyun, no!” He heard a deep voice yell. It belonged to the other taller knight.

Kyungsoo saw as Minseok began to regain his balance, he could practically predict what he was about to do. Baekhyun was right in front of him, an easy target with two knights who had no weapons on them.

Kyungsoo quickly grabbed the sword laying on the floor next to him and sprinted towards Minseok.

Minseok swung down and Jongdae’s eyes widened as he saw Baekhyun was looking at him instead of at the enemy.

The sound of metal clashing was heard again and Baekhyun’s eyes darted behind him. Kyungsoo was there, back to him and sword up. Kyungsoo had deflected the attack by his own knight!

Minseok blinked in surprise as he quickly retreated his sword. “Kyungsoo what are you--?”

“I told you to drop your sword, and you didn’t listen.”

Minseok’s eyes darted to Baekhyun who was looking at Kyungsoo, with slight admiration in his eyes. He looked back at Kyungsoo then at Baekhyun, then back at Kyungsoo.

“You…Kyungsoo…you…”

Jongdae and Chanyeol quickly took advantage of this situation and pulled Baekhyun behind them.

Kyungsoo looked over at Baekhyun and they locked eyes. At that moment they realized…the truth had to be revealed. There was no point in hiding it any longer.

Baekhyun let out a sigh, “He won’t hurt me.” He said out loud.

Chanyeol flinched and looked back at him, “What?”

The Solaris prince looked up at him as he walked past him towards Kyungsoo and turned his back to him. “I didn’t want you to figure out this way.”

Jongdae furrowed his brows, “We need to discuss this at home.”

“Kyungsoo, what’s going on?” Jongin asked as he walked to stand next to Minseok.

Kyungsoo looked over at them, “I’m sorry…I wanted to tell you guys…”

“Tell us what?” Minseok scowled. The way Baekhyun was so close behind him was not giving him a good feeling as to what was going on.

“You’ve been mingling with a…Monalet?!” Chanyeol yelled out.

“No!” Jongin yelled out. “My prince would never associate with your kind!”

“Stop it!” Kyungsoo shouted.

“Solaris is too good for the likes of you!” Jongdae yelled back.

“Enough!” Baekhyun commanded. “We will discuss this back home. I can’t have you both acting like uncivilized children.”

“When your prince says that, you know it’s true.” Jongin muttered loud enough for everyone to hear.

Minseok snickered.

“I think I’m heading home, they are being unmanageable.” Baekhyun whispered for only Kyungsoo to hear.

Kyungsoo took a step towards his knights. “We are going home.” He said.

“We’re just going to let them go?!” Jongin shouted.

“Spoiled little knight getting mad?” Chanyeol asked, a teasing tone in his voice.  

Jongin gritted his teeth, “No one was talking to you.”

“Enough! We are leaving!” Kyungsoo commanded as he pushed his knights away.

“You owe us an explanation Kyungsoo.” Minseok remarked as he let Kyungsoo lead him away.

“You have my word.”

Baekhyun watched as Kyungsoo called his horse over and climbed atop of it. His knights soon followed behind. Baekhyun was a bit relieved that no one had actually gotten hurt. But, he also knew, that his time had run out. The Monalet trio rode away, leaving nothing behind but dust. Baekhyun let out a small sigh and turned around to face his knights. They were both scowling at him. He knew this was going to turn into a long day.

***

“Explain.” Chanyeol commanded as he crossed his arms over his chest.

Baekhyun sighed, “Were you guys following me?”

“Yes, we were.” Jongdae answered. “You were obviously hiding something, so we decided to get to the bottom of it.”

Baekhyun furrowed his brows, “You had no right to follow me!”

“And you had no right to lie to us! Why were you alone with a Monalet!?” Chanyeol asked once more. He was not about to let Baekhyun change topic as though his question meant nothing. He had just seen the prince acting as though he was best friends with the Monalet prince.

Baekhyun bit his bottom lip.

“We saw you in the secret clearing with him.” Chanyeol deadpanned.

Baekhyun’s mouth dropped, “How much did you guys see?”

Jongdae laughed sarcastically, “I don’t know, how much else have you done with him?”

“Do you guys go frolicking in the meadow too?” Chanyeol added.

Baekhyun scowled, “You see! This is why I couldn’t tell you anything!”

“You’re mingling with a Monalet! How do you want us to act?!” Jongdae yelled back.

Baekhyun let out a scoff, “If you won’t let me explain, it’s better that we just go home then.” He turned around to call his horse, but they quickly spun him back to face them. They grabbed onto his shoulders tightly and he struggled, but they kept their grip firm. He gave them a small pout as he furrowed his eyes at them.

“You are telling us everything! Right here, right now!” They yelled at him.

Baekhyun pushed them to get some distance. They took a step back, but their eyes stayed narrowed on him. Baekhyun knew they wouldn’t leave him alone until he told them everything, but how does he even begin? “Please, you need to listen. If you interrupt me at every chance you get, then this will lead us nowhere.”

Baekhyun had just committed one of the worst crimes known to Solaris. And his knights had just been witnesses to it. They were angry but in all honesty, also scared. Mingling with a Monalet could lead to them being exiled from the kingdom…or worse.

“Very well.” Jongdae replied. He sat down on the grass, Chanyeol sat next to him. Baekhyun cautiously took his place by them. It was silent for a bit, until Baekhyun let out an exhale.

“Alright. I’ll admit, I have been keeping this a secret from you guys. I was scared that you would get mad. I was going to tell you! I promise! But I needed to find the right time.”

“You should have told us right away.” Jongdae told him.

“I needed to find the right time.”

Chanyeol nudged Jongdae, “He’s telling us now.”

Jongdae let out a soft sigh and nodded.

Baekhyun sighed once more, “As you know, I first saw him in the clearing with my mother, but I met him formally the day you went to get berries for me. I went into Solaris forest and he was there.”

Chanyeol’s eyes widened, “He was on Solaris grounds?”

Baekhyun nodded, “He had never gone so far from his kingdom. I doubt he even knew he was in Solaris territory. Anyway, he was lost and looked so helpless. I was going to kill him, but he didn’t have a weapon and looked so vulnerable. Something in me told me not to. So instead, I guided him back to Monalet.” Baekhyun’s eyes darted down to his lap, his fingers intertwining in each other. “After guiding him back, I thought that was the end of it, but a couple days later I saw him again. The day I went to look for five lizards, I went into our secret clearing and he was there.”

Baekhyun looked up from his lap to see the faces of his knights. They both kept a stern face, their emotions unreadable. The prince gulped and looked back down. He felt himself getting nervous.

“Go on.” Chanyeol encouraged.

Baekhyun shut his eyes tight and opened them, willing himself to continue. “He demonstrated to me what an excellent archer he was and—“

“Stop.” Jongdae suddenly said. “Please don’t tell that an uncultured swine is the reason you have been improving in your archery skills.”

Baekhyun’s head shot up, “You said you wouldn’t interrupt.”

Jongdae narrowed his eyes; Chanyeol cleared his throat as he looked away.

Baekhyun knew this would happen. He knew they wouldn’t accept it. They kept their emotions hidden, but Baekhyun knew they were probably seething.

“First off, he is not an uncultured swine. He is a prince, just like me. Secondly, he helps me in my archery skills and in exchange, I show him around the lands. He has not been able to travel outside his kingdom, therefore, I show him new and fascinating places.”

Chanyeol looked back, eyes uninterested.

Baekhyun scoffed, “That’s all there is. There is nothing more. I have been sneaking off to meet up with the Monalet prince.”

Jongdae looked away, jaw clenched.

“And, I would much appreciate it that you treat him with respect. He is my friend.”

Chanyeol scoffed, “Monalets don’t have feelings, you know that.”

Baekhyun furrowed his brows, “Thank you, I will keep that in mind when I see him again.”

Jongdae turned to face him, eyes wide, “See him again?”

Baekhyun nodded, “Yes, we have a deal. I just explained it to you.”

Chanyeol laughed, “As if we will let that happen.”

Baekhyun stood up, “I’m not asking for permission.”

Chanyeol stood up after him, “You don’t need permission from us, but I’m sure the king wouldn’t like to hear this.”

Baekhyun eyes widened, “You wouldn’t.”

Chanyeol raised an eyebrow at him, “My duty is to protect you at all costs. You meeting with the Monalet prince is one of the most dangerous situations to be in.”

Baekhyun’s fists tightened, “I am seeing him again!” He yelled.

Jongdae stood up, “As if we’re going to let you out of sight!”

Baekhyun’s jaw clenched. He couldn’t believe that his knights were being so unreasonable! Kyungsoo was not a threat! He was a kind and caring person. If only his knights could—

Baekhyun’s jaw softened as the gears in his mind began turning, his fists began to unfold and he suddenly got an idea.

“Very well. Don’t let me out of your sight.” Baekhyun replied.

Chanyeol smirked at him, “We won’t.”

Baekhyun shook his head, “Then don’t. Come with me instead.”

Jongdae scrunched up his face, “What?”

“Let’s make a deal.”

Chanyeol was taken aback, “What kind of deal?”

“If I can prove to you that Kyungsoo is no threat to me, then I can see him whenever I please.” Baekhyun knew this was risky. But if Kyungsoo could change his beliefs about Monalets, then he could surely do the same for his knights.

Chanyeol and Jongdae looked at each other in confusion, then back at Baekhyun. They shouldn’t even be meeting up with a Monalet, but perhaps...they could use this to their advantage.

“And if our beliefs are proven instead?”

Baekhyun opened his mouth and then shut it. He didn’t think that far.

Chanyeol smirked once more, “Then you have to kill the Monalet prince as we watch.”

Baekhyun shoved Chanyeol, what a barbaric idea! “No deal!”

“What he meant was, you kill him from your life. So, you never see him again. Forget he exists and we go back to how life was.” Jongdae was quick to save. Chanyeol felt disgusted by how much Baekhyun seemed to like that brute.

Baekhyun pierced his lips together as he pondered. He trusted he would come out as victorious. But he also knew that his knights were stubborn. It seemed as though he was playing with fire, but then again, this dangerous game began when he didn’t kill Kyungsoo in the Solaris forest.

“Very well.” Baekhyun agreed. “You have a deal.”

***

Kyungsoo and his knights arrived at the stable, slowly making their way inside. The entire ride had been silent, neither of them uttered a word. The whole ride seemed too short, he had so many things swirling through his mind.  Kyungsoo was unsure how to handle the situation. He wasn’t even sure where he would tell them. They needed to find somewhere where no one would be able to hear anything. But, he had yet to think of a place.

He heard Minseok clear his throat from behind him. Kyungsoo gulped as he put his horse away. He let out a soft sigh and looked back to face them. They were both staring at him intently.

“I suppose you want an explanation.” The prince spoke.

Jongin let out a scoff and shook his head. Kyungsoo knew it was a dumb thing to say, but he didn’t know how else to break the ice.

“Let’s go into our quarters. The rest of the knights should be on the training ground. We need to be quiet, just to be cautious.” Minseok replied as he led the way out of the stable. Kyungsoo sighed and followed behind.

Minseok walked past the training grounds and into the knight’s quarters and ultimately into the one he shared with Jongin. They all walked inside. It was pretty spacious and had all of their basic necessities. Two beds were placed across from each other and Kyungsoo sat in one. Jongin made sure to close the door before sitting across from Kyungsoo. Minseok quickly sat next to his brother.

Kyungsoo looked down at his hands, jaw clenched. He had been hiding this secret for a while, it was time he brought it out into the light. His eyes darted up and his knights stared at him closely.

“I suppose I can begin after you ask me what is troubling you the most.” Kyungsoo began.

“Why did you save the Solaris prince?”  Minseok asked.

Kyungsoo wet his lips, “Because he is my friend.”

Jongin stood up immediately and paced around the room, hand gripping at his hair. “That’s a disgusting joke.”

Kyungsoo watched as he paced, “No joke.”

“It’s a trap right?”

Kyungsoo looked back at Minseok.

“You are trying to gain his trust to get their weaknesses, right?”

Kyungsoo furrowed his brows, Jongin stopped pacing as he looked back at Kyungsoo wide eyed.

“Of course!” Jongin exclaimed as he sat back down, smiling. “You are a genius Kyungsoo. Forgive me for doubting you.”

Kyungsoo shook his head, “No. I didn’t say that.”

Minseok scoffed, “Why else would you do that? It’s obvious.”

Kyungsoo looked between his knights, he didn’t think it would be this difficult. They were in such denial. How would he ever get through to them?

“Have you figured out anything yet?” Jongin asked.

Kyungsoo shook his head, “Listen!”

“He probably has the stupid prince wrapped around his finger by now.” Minseok added with a smile.

Kyungsoo’s fists clenched as he tried to relax his face. “I am not pretending to be his friend. Baekhyun IS my friend. And I expect you to treat him with respect.”

“You can stop the façade now.” Jongin told him with a smile. “We won’t say anything, don’t worry.”

Kyungsoo stood up, staring them both down. They refused to even let him speak! “You two will listen to what I say! And not interrupt me! Understand!?” He shouted out loud in a demanding voice.

At Kyungsoo yelling, they visibly flinched. The tension in the room had just built up and no one said a word.

“After the day I fought with him in the clearing, I met him again. I was lost and wandered onto his lands. He found me and instead of killing me, he led me back to Monalet.”

The knights felt a pit in their stomach as Kyungsoo told them this. Solarians weren’t like that! They were rude and only cared for themselves.

 “Not only that, but he saved my life. I met him again and I was about to fall off the edge of cliff to my death and he…” Kyungsoo trailed off as he recalled the memories of that day. How Baekhyun had hurt himself in order to save Kyungsoo. “He pulled me back up to safety. I would have died that day if it were not for him.”

They felt their stomachs churn and vomit wanting to escape at the realization that they owed that imbecile for their prince’s life. Surely that prince was up to something…but what?

“We meet every other day and he shows me around the land and in exchange I help him with archery skills.”

Minseok looked back up at him. How could Kyungsoo agree to such a horrendous deal?

“Is that where you go in the morning?” Asked Jongin.

Kyungsoo nodded, “Yes.”

“You owe him your life?” Minseok asked.

Kyungsoo shook his head, “My debt has been repaid.”

“Then stop hanging out with such a pompous brat.” Jongin pouted. He couldn’t believe he even had to have this conversation with Kyungsoo. They shouldn’t be talking about how it was bad to hang out with Solarians. They were all vile and egocentric beings.

Kyungsoo rolled his eyes, “No.” He responded.

Minseok stood up, “If you don’t, then we have no choice but to come with you every time.” He challenged.

Kyungsoo didn’t back down, “Do it. All I command, is that you treat him with respect.”

Jongin scoffed, “I’d rather die than befriend him.”

Kyungsoo looked down at Jongin, “I’m not telling you to befriend him. I’m telling you to respect him.”

“I refuse.” Jongin replied.

“You can’t command us to like him.” Minseok responded.

Kyungsoo scoffed, “Again, I’m not commanding you to like him. I’m commanding you to not hurt him, physically or emotionally.”

Jongin felt his blood boil. He couldn’t handle listening to his prince talk this way. He stood up and stormed outside. Solarians were filthy and wrapped up in themselves. There was no way he would EVER fall for any of their tricks, much less care for any one of them.

***

The rest of the day did not get much better. Jongin refused to speak with Kyungsoo at all. He ignored him the rest of the day. In addition, Kyungsoo noticed Minseok was taking his anger out on the youngest knights by pushing them harder on the training grounds. He hoped that tomorrow would be better.

The Monalet prince walked into his room and noticed the white pigeon settled on his bed. It was laying comfortably as it stared at him. Kyungsoo felt himself smile and walked towards it. The little satchel was wrapped around it and he quickly opened it to reveal a small scroll inside:

_Dearest Kyungsoo,_

_I hope you are well. I apologize on behalf of my knight’s terrible behavior today. I will still be going to the secret clearing, however, my knights will be accompanying me. I hope that it is alright._

_-Baekhyun_

Kyungsoo let out a small chuckle. It seemed Baekhyun was in a similar situation as him. He took out a small feather and dipped it in ink as he wrote. He rolled up the scroll and tied it with blue ribbon. He placed it inside the satchel and led the pigeon towards the window. The pigeon flapped its wings and quickly flew away towards Solaris.

***

Baekhyun sat in his bed. Chanyeol sat next to him. Dinner had been a very quiet affair and Jongdae excused himself without giving Baekhyun even a glance. Chanyeol had followed him to his room and despite not responding to anything Baekhyun said, stayed the rest of the day.

“Isn’t it about time to go to the knight’s quarters?” Baekhyun asked. The moon was illuminating his room and Baekhyun wanted to sleep.

Chanyeol scoffed, “Why? So you can sneak out again?”

Baekhyun pouted as he rested his chin on his hand, “Do you want me to get on my knees and beg for forgiveness?”

Chanyeol looked over at him, but then his eyes darted behind him. Baekhyun followed the gaze      and saw the white pigeon perched on the window. It seemed to had just landed.

Baekhyun smiled as he called it over. The pigeon flew and landed on Baekhyun’s finger. The prince opened the satchel and took out the scroll from inside:

_Baekhyun,_

_I forgive your knights only if you forgive mine for such awful misconduct. I also find myself in the same predicament. My knights refuse to let me go without them. I will see you in the clearing the day after tomorrow._

_-Kyungsoo_

He heard Chanyeol scoff from next to him, annoyance evident in his voice. “That’s why you got a pigeon huh?”

Baekhyun twisted his mouth to the side, “Yes.”


	11. Chapter 11

The Monalet prince woke up a little later than usual. He hated getting into arguments with his knights. And a piece of him felt guilty for not telling them the truth sooner. He didn’t want them to find out this way, but it had just happened. He had wanted to tell them in his own way and slowly. Not suddenly all at once.

He got dressed for breakfast and walked into the eating area. His mother and father had already eaten and his meal was waiting for him with a scroll next to it, it was in his father’s writing:

_We already ate. Go into the private study room once you are done._

Kyungsoo sighed as he picked at the food. In all honesty, he wasn’t very hungry. He wanted to speak to his knights, let them know that he was sorry for not telling them earlier.

He forced the food down into his stomach, normally it would taste delicious. But this morning didn’t seem as though it was starting off right. After breakfast, he made his way into the throne room. His mother and father had stacks upon stacks of scrolls in front of them. His eyes widened as he walked closer. He cleared his throat as he stood in front of them.

The queen’s eyes looked up, “Kyungsoo! You are here!”

The king’s eyes darted to meet with Kyungsoo’s, “Finally! Son, I need your help.” He stood up from his chair and approached Kyungsoo.

“Kyungsoo, there has been trouble with neighboring kingdoms about trades. I need to deal with these matters right away.”

Kyungsoo nodded, “Of course.”

“Your mother and I will be spending most of our time trying to clear the issue that has presented itself.”

Kyungsoo nodded again, “Yes sir. How can I be of help?”

“Yes, well,” The king began, “As you know, there has been trouble with the crops on the Eastern side of the kingdom.”

Kyungsoo stared intently at his father.

“I am not sure if you have noticed, but I have been unable to attend to that matter due to my trouble here. But, it is a matter of great importance that must be resolved.”

Kyungsoo gulped, he had a feeling he knew where this was going.

“Kyungsoo, I wish for you to be in charge of this problem. I am trusting you to figure out what is going on and resolve it.”

Kyungsoo’s mouth dropped. Never in a million years did he ever think he would get assigned such an important task all on his own.

“I trust your judgement and I know whatever decisions you make will be for the best interest of the kingdom.”

“Father…I—“ Kyungsoo’s mouth shut.

“Have more faith in yourself.” The queen spoke up.

Kyungsoo looked back at his mother, who was smiling at him softly. “You know that you have every single resource available to you. I know you can make us proud.”

He couldn’t deny, he was a little nervous. But at the same time, he felt as though he was walking on clouds. He had just been entrusted with such an important task.

“We already told everyone in the palace, including the knights about our decision. Start wherever you like. Make us proud Kyungsoo.”

Kyungsoo smiled wide as he felt a sudden burst of responsibility spur inside of him. “I won’t let you down. Thank you!”

He turned away towards the exit, an extra bounce in his step. He knew what would be done first: go back to Hoseok and ask him if the situation had gotten better or worse.

He walked towards the knight’s quarters, but then reality struck him. His knights were probably still upset with him. He slowed down, but picked up his pace again. His knights couldn’t be mad at him forever. They needed to talk to him. They couldn’t simply ignore him all of their life.

He walked into the training grounds, where he knew his knights would be training with others. He was not mistaken. Right away, he saw Jongin play fighting with Taemin. The two of them were laughing as they pretended to duel. Minseok was busy monitoring the younger knights as they trained in their archery skills. Kyungsoo let out a small sigh and walked towards Jongin first.

Taemin saw him and immediately straightened up. “Kyungsoo.” He greeted as he gave him a slight bow.

Kyungsoo shook his head, “No need for formalities.” His eyes darted towards Jongin, who was dusting himself off. He made eye contact with Kyungsoo and immediately rolled his eyes away. He stood next to Taemin and leaned on his shoulder, not saying a word, just like yesterday.

Kyungsoo tried to not let it bother him, “Jongin, I’m assuming my father told you about his decision.”

Jongin scoffed, “Yes he did. Although, I think the responsibility should go towards someone more…I don’t know…loyal perhaps?”

Taemin’s eyes widened and he looked at Jongin. “Kyungsoo is more than capable of handling this situation.”

Kyungsoo chuckled, “Ignore him Taemin. He is simply throwing a tantrum to garner attention.”

Jongin furrowed his brows and looked away.

“I will be making a speech, please gather the knights.”

Kyungsoo turned around and was positive that Jongin was sticking his tongue out as he mocked him. It was a habit the younger did even when they were children.

Kyungsoo made his way towards Minseok and placed his hand on his shoulder. “Minseok?”

Minseok’s eyes slowly made his way toward him. They had a distant gaze to them as if they were seeing through him. He was probably still upset with him too. He wanted so badly to make things better.

“I will be making a speech. I asked Jongin to garner the rest of the knights.”

Minseok nodded, “Very well.”

Kyungsoo gulped, “You already know I wish for you and him to be with me as I conduct my research on the crops.”

Minseok smiled, “Are you sure? I know you don’t trust us with other things.”

Kyungsoo hid his emotion, but that one hurt…bad.

“Can we please talk about this later? I need you right now.”

Minseok’s expression softened, “I don’t want to be mad at you.” He said just loud enough for Kyungsoo to hear. “I just feel betrayed.”

Kyungsoo whispered back softly, “I know I should have told you long ago. I feel awful about this. Forgive me.”

“Kyungsoo.” Jongin called as he got closer. “I gathered all of the knights. They are waiting for you to make your speech.”

“Thank you Jongin.”

The younger knight turned around again to head in the opposite direction. Kyungsoo couldn’t blame him for being upset. Minseok gave him a gentle nudge, “Go on.” He encouraged.

Kyungsoo sent him a small smile and walked on ahead. All of the knights were assembled and whispering amongst each other. Kyungsoo got to a small pedestal that was used whenever the head knight needed to make an announcement.

“Hello everyone.” Kyungsoo began. “As you all are aware, I am in charge of the crop situation in the kingdom. I will be taking this job very seriously, therefore I may ask some of you to assist me in my investigations on the Eastern side of the kingdom. I gathered everyone because I will be spending much of my time with Jongin and Minseok, so please, plan accordingly who can substitute for them while they are gone.”

Jongin and Minseok were known to help train the younger knights, as well as, help out the head knight. Them being gone for periods at a time could interfere with the youngest’s training.

“Kyung—Your majesty, I believe I should accompany you to those investigations, as well as, be informed of the progress.” The head knight spoke up.

Kyungsoo shook his head, “You will stay and watch over the knights in training.”

“With all due respect your highness, I may assign others to watch over the knights in training.” He responded.

Kyungsoo knew that was a possibility, but in reality, he didn’t want the head knight to come with him.

“No need.” Kyungsoo replied. “If I ever do need your assistance, I shall let you know.”

“Your highness, I will gladly look over the younger knights if need be.” A knight known as Jackson spoke up.

Kyungsoo nodded at him, “I appreciate that, thank you.”

“I would also be more than honored to help you in any way I can.” Another knight named Jinhwan said.

Kyungsoo smiled at him, “Thank you.”

“I insist that I go your majesty.” The head knight spoke again.

Kyungsoo looked at him, “I will let you know if I need your assistance, thank you.” His eyes looked over the rest of the knights, “This goes for everyone. If needed, I may ask for you to assist me. But if not, then no need to worry. Thank you for listening.”

Kyungsoo took a step off the pedestal, meaning his speech was over. The knights all gave him a final bow before dispersing. The prince looked around at the knights who were gathering back to where they were before. He felt someone grab his shoulder and his eyes darted towards the person, the head knight.

“Your majesty, please, I think I should go with you to investigate.” He was still insisting after Kyungsoo had told him no! His voice sounded as though he was doing his best to remain calm and his grip on Kyungsoo’s shoulder was getting a bit tight as he squeezed.

Kyungsoo turned to look at him, “I have already given you my answer.” He shrugged off the hand, “Please respect it.”

“Your highness,” He responded in between gritted teeth and fake smile. “I don’t think you understand what a valuable asset I would be.”

Kyungsoo shook his head, “My decision is final. My knights will be the one accompanying me and that is the end of the discussion.”

***

The Monalet prince and his knights made their way towards the Eastern side of the kingdom. They had decided to go by foot instead of taking their horses. Kyungsoo could tell that they were still not speaking with him. He needed to make things better. He didn’t want his knights to be upset with him anymore.

He cleared his throat, “I believe we need to talk.”

Minseok and Jongin stopped in their tracks to look at him. Kyungsoo felt himself get embarrassed, “Er…I just want to say…that you have every right to be mad at me. I kept something from you and it was wrong of me.”

The knights stared intently at him.

“I’m sorry.”

Jongin looked away, Minseok let out a sigh, “Kyungsoo, we don’t agree with meeting up with the Solaris prince.”

Kyungsoo nodded, “I could understand that. I was reluctant at first too.”

“What are you trying to gain with this?” Jongin asked suddenly, head turning around.

Kyungsoo didn’t have an answer for that. He loved going with Baekhyun to explore the land, that was the reason. But, he didn’t know if his knights would understand that. “Can you please just…trust me on this?”

Jongin gave him a slight pout and then a sigh, “I’m worried Kyungsoo. I don’t want you to get hurt. This is very dangerous.”

Kyungsoo sent him a small smile. “Just keep this a secret, just until his archery skills improve to where they can’t improve any more, then I won’t see him ever again. I made him a promise and I need to keep my word.”

Minseok let out a soft sigh through his nose and leaned on Kyungsoo’s shoulder. “You’re too nice, even to those that don’t deserve it.”

Kyungsoo could say more and tell them how Baekhyun did deserve it. He was a kind and gentle soul who could easily lighten up anyone’s day. But, they weren’t ready to hear that yet. When Baekhyun wins them over, then they will see that he isn’t what they were led to believe. But for now, he could simply listen.

“I promise to never hide anything from you again.” Kyungsoo said.

Jongin gave him a small smile, “Very well, you are forgiven. But don’t expect me to like your new friend.”

Kyungsoo gave him a small smile back, “I’m not asking you to like him. Simply tolerate this until it’s over.”

Jongin got closer to him and snuggled on the shoulder Minseok wasn’t on, “Fine.” He whined cutely as he smiled. “But, we have to be careful. Can you imagine what would happen if the head knight figures out about this?”

Minseok straightened up, “Let’s not think negatively and instead focus on keeping it a secret.”

“First we need to focus on getting to Hoseok.” Kyungsoo replied.

Minseok smiled, “Yes, that does come first.”

***

Hoseok was digging up the dirt with his shovel. He wiped some of the sweat off his forehead as he felt his arms getting tired from digging so much.

“Hoseok?”

He heard his name and turned his head quickly. Kyungsoo stood there with his knights next to him. He was smiling wide as were his knights.

“Hello.” Jongin said as he smiled wider.

Hoseok smiled big as he took off his sun hat. “Hello.” He took out a handkerchief as he wiped his face. “Why must the prince always come so unexpected? I look awful.”

Minseok let out a chuckle, “We will let you know in advance next time.”

“What can I help you with?” The farmer asked.

“My father has been busy with other matters, therefore, I am in charge of the crop situation.” Kyungsoo answered.

“Oh, alright.” Hoseok replied as he wiped some of the dirt from his hands on his already dirty shirt. “You want to see the crops again?”

Kyungsoo shook his head, “No need, I want to ask you questions instead.”

Hoseok nodded, “Go ahead.”

“Has anything changed at all?”

Hoseok shook his head, “No. We continue to water them and put fertilizer, yet they still do not grow.”

“And you said that there is nothing underground?”

Hoseok nodded, “I am certain it is nothing underground.”

“The results came back from the plant that was examined.” Minseok spoke up, “It turns out that there is nothing wrong with the plant itself. So, that means that it has to be some kind of external factor that is making them die.”

Hoseok’s eyes widened, “External factor?”

Kyungsoo nodded, “And there is no holes on the leaves, meaning that it can’t be due to something eating it.”

Hoseok made a face of confusion, “It can’t be the soil can it?”

Jongin shrugged, “You’re the expert in that department.”

Hoseok smiled, “I know for certain it is not the soil or else every single one of our crops would be infested, but it’s just the Eastern side.”

“What do you do differently to the Eastern side that you do not do for the rest?” Jongin asked.

Hoseok twisted his mouth to the side as he thought, “hmmm…nothing really. We use the same fertilizer and water…oh!” Hoseok’s mouth dropped as he had an epiphany. “We use different water sources!”

Kyungsoo’s head tilted to the side, “Tell me.”

“The crops on the Eastern side are watered by a watering hole on the Eastern side of the kingdom!”

Kyungsoo looked over at his knights, who were already looking at him. Kyungsoo nodded and looked back at Hoseok, “Hoseok, if it isn’t too much trouble, may you take us to the watering hole? And bring something small to carry water in. We may need to bring a sample with us back to the castle.”

Hoseok nodded vigorously, “Of course! I shall put on some comfortable shoes and be back quickly.”

Hoseok ran off into his home leaving the trio outside.

“Kyungsoo, this is dangerous. If it is the water, then we need to figure out what is causing it. We can live without the crops on the Eastern side, we can’t survive without drinkable water.” Minseok told him.

“Don’t worry too soon. The watering hole from the Eastern side is only used for the crops, we would just have to find a new water source that is not contaminated.” Jongin replied.

Minseok scoffed, “That is not an easy task.”

Hoseok came running back with a clean shirt, pants and shoes. He no longer had a hat and he washed his face.

“Alright, follow me.” He said as he walked on ahead.

Kyungsoo and his knights followed behind. Minseok was right, if it was because of the water, then the situation could go from mild to severe quickly.

“It isn’t too far.” Hoseok said. “It’s just a bit up ahead.”

Kyungsoo nodded, “Don’t worry, my knights and I are used to walking long distances.”

They arrived at a small watering hole that had irrigation canals by it. It wasn’t very big.

“How does it fill it up with water?” Asked Jongin.

“There is an underground spring. It isn’t the biggest, the biggest one is the one that waters the Southern crops.”

Kyungsoo slowly approached it and looked into the water. They would need to get a sample and test it out. His eyes looked at its surroundings. There was small orange flowers growing around the edge of it. The flowers were some that he had never seen before, but pretty nonetheless. That gave him a slight hope that it was not the water, or else the flowers would not be able to survive.

“There is no grass around.” Minseok suddenly said.

Kyungsoo looked around and realized that he was right. The only plant life around was the pretty flower.

“Yes, that is a little strange.” Hoseok replied.

Jongin peered into the watering hole, “But there are flowers, maybe we are wrong about the water killing the plants.”

Kyungsoo shrugged, “Only one way to find out. We need to take a sample.”

Hoseok approached him and handed him the vase that Kyungsoo had asked for before he had left his home. Kyungsoo smiled sweetly at him as he took it, “Thank you.” He dipped it into the water, making sure to be very careful he didn’t get any on his hands. They were unsure whether or not it was the water, but it was better to be safe than sorry.

***

Kyungsoo arrived home sometime in the evening. Hoseok had insisted that it would be alright if they stayed longer, but they wanted to get home to test out the water before it got too dark.

“How are we going to test the water?” Jongin asked as they made their way towards the garden.

Kyungsoo looked over the blue flowers. “Easy.” He responded. He picked up a small flower from the garden that was in a small vase. “We water this plant with only this water. If nothing happens, then we can conclude that the water is safe.”

Minseok twisted his mouth to the side. “How long should we give it?”

Kyungsoo poured water into the vase and watched as the soil absorbed it. “We shall give it a few sunrises. Right now, I will write down that the flower is strong and full of life. If there is any kind of change, positive or negative, then I will record it day by day.”

Minseok smiled, “Great idea!” He exclaimed excitedly.

Kyungsoo smiled at him with just as much excitement. “Thank you. I will put it in my room by the window and only use the water fro the watering hole on the Eastern side.”

Jongin nodded in agreement, “Should we investigate more leads? Or wait until a couple of sunrises pass?”

Kyungsoo clenched his jaw as he thought, “We should wait a couple of days and see if it is in fact the water.”

Minseok nodded, “Alright. We just have to wait and see what happens.”

Kyungsoo held the flower tightly in his hand and the trio walked towards his room. “I’ll watch it attentively.” He said as he entered inside his room.  The knights followed behind him and sat on his bed. Kyungsoo placed the vase by his window. Hopefully they could find their answers soon. A piece of him hoped it wasn’t the water, but he couldn’t get his hopes too high.

Minseok cleared his throat. “Kyungsoo, I actually wish to speak with you.”

Kyungsoo turned around, “Yes?”

Minseok’s face hardened, “Concerning tomorrow.”

Kyungsoo felt his throat go dry but he cleared it, “Of course.”

“Will you still be going?”

Kyungsoo nodded, “Yes, we made a deal.”

Jongin looked away, Minseok stayed with his eyes locked on him. “You understand we will be going with you, correct?”

Kyungsoo nodded, “Yes. I don’t want to have any secrets anymore.”

Minseok pierced his lips together, “Kyungsoo, if he does anything that threatens harm to you, we will attack.”

Jongin looked back at him, eyes hard as steel. Kyungsoo sighed, “I understand. But, I already told you, I wish for you to respect him. I have told you, he is—“

“Don’t say it.” Jongin cut him off, “We get it. Don’t hurt the annoying brat.”

Kyungsoo bit his bottom lip as he tried to refrain from what he wanted to say. He supposes this is better than them actually hurting Baekhyun. Being raised to hate Solarians is something that they were all taught to do.

***

Baekhyun took the bread he had been baking from the oven. He had slight flour on his face and he held the baking paddle tightly in between his exhausted hands. He had been trying to bake bread all day using the oven from the kitchen. His knights had been busy helping out with the hunting expedition for today and they were set to come home at any time now.

He had woken up early to get all of the ingredients and make it, it took longer than he thought it would. He began sometime after breakfast and now, the moon was out. Baekhyun needed to get this done as soon as possible, the first couple of batches had come out so burned that some of the bakers couldn’t help but laugh at him. He isn’t sure how much bread he had made, all he knew was that he needed to find some way to make it up to his knights. He let out a loud exhale as he placed the bread on the counter. He let out a sigh, who knew making bread was this difficult? Luckily, the wheat had been grinded already, so all he needed to do was mold it and then bake it. But even then, he was awful at it.

He knew that cinnamon bread was their favorite and that they grew happy whenever they could have it. He smiled at his creation, it smelled and looked good. It seemed as though he was done. He heard footsteps coming and he let out a small gasp. He looked terrible, he was dirty and full of flour, but time was up; his knights had just arrived home.

He heard their voices getting closer and Baekhyun stood behind his creation, smoke was still rising out of it.

Chanyeol and Jongdae entered the kitchen and stopped in their tracks when they spotted Baekhyun.

Baekhyun sent them a wide smile.

“What are you doing here?” Chanyeol asked, no emotion in his voice.

Baekhyun’s eyes darted around, “Um…I made you guys bread.”

They eyed him suspiciously and looked at the freshly baked bread on the counter. It was still warm and smelled heavenly.

“What’s in it?” Jongdae asked suspiciously. The last time they accepted something Baekhyun had made them, they spit it out right away. The prince had placed live worms in it.

Baekhyun shook his head, “Nothing! I made it for you. I promise, it’s good.”

Chanyeol’s eyes darted up, “What’s the occasion?”

“Nothing.” Baekhyun said as he smiled, “I made it for you because I wanted to.”

Jongdae scoffed, “Try it first.”

Baekhyun’s mouth dropped, “It’s fine.” He said as he reached for it. His hands extended towards it quickly and he picked it up without thinking. It had just come out of the oven and it was extremely hot. Once it was in his hands, they immediately reacted and let it go.

The knights saw as the bread landed on the floor and fell apart. Baekhyun’s eyes widened as he rubbed his hands. He looked down at the bread he had worked so hard to make.

“Nice one.” Chanyeol teased.

Baekhyun felt a jab at his heart when he heard it. He shut his eyes and then smiled at them, “Ha! It was just a joke!” He said cheerfully, but his eyes betrayed him. He felt the moisture begin to build up, but he looked away quickly. “It probably tasted like garbage anyway. I shall head to my room now.” He shot his head down and began to walk past them. Chanyeol extended his arm and quickly pulled Baekhyun by the waist back. Baekhyun continued looking down.

“Baekhyun,” Jongdae began. “Look at us.”

Baekhyun let out a sigh and looked up at them. “I’m sorry.”

Chanyeol smiled down at him. “No, it’s fine. Tomorrow, we can help you make a new one.”

Baekhyun shook his head, “No! I’m sorry for lying to you. I know it was wrong of me and I felt awful on the way you found out the truth. I decided that for you to not be mad, then I should make you your favorite bread. So, right after you left, I got to work gathering all of the ingredients. And then I made batch after batch because I wanted it to be perfect for you. And when I finally made it perfect, I drop it…”

Jongdae’s gaze softened and Chanyeol bit his lip.

“I thought…if I show you somehow that I am really sorry, then you wouldn’t be mad anymore. But I can’t even do that right.” Baekhyun let out a loud sigh, “I’m an awful friend, I’m sorry.”

Chanyeol put a hand on his shoulder and shook him gently. “Hey, don’t talk about yourself like that.”

Baekhyun looked up at him.

“We aren’t mad at you Baekhyun.”

Baekhyun tilted his head, “But yesterday you were.”

Chanyeol shook his head, “No, we are worried for you. Monalets are known to be bloodthirsty killers. And even if he doesn’t hurt you, then if Solaris finds out….”

Baekhyun couldn’t deny that this was dangerous. Meeting up with Kyungsoo could be deadly if Solaris found out.

Jongdae sighed, “Don’t say it.” He interrupted before Chanyeol could finish his sentence. “We are going with him tomorrow.” His eyes looked back at Baekhyun, “Besides, you are only meeting him to help you with archery. Once your skills can’t improve any more, then it’s over, right?”

Baekhyun hadn’t thought that far ahead, “I…I suppose…yes.”

Jongdae nodded, “Then it’s settled. When you get the best at archery, then the meetings stop and we won’t have to worry anymore.” Jongdae walked towards the bread on the floor. Baekhyun’s eyes followed him. The knight kneeled next to it and scooped some in his hand.

“Jongdae…” Baekhyun began, but the knight was already putting it in his mouth.

“This is good!” He said in between bites.

Chanyeol’s mouth dropped and he walked over to him, “I want to try!”  


	12. Chapter 12

“Jongin, wake up.” Minseok said as he shook the younger in bed. Jongin let out a groan as he forced his eyes open. “What?” He mumbled out.

Minseok sighed as he stood up, “Kyungsoo is nearly ready to leave, hurry up.”

“Where are we—“ Then Jongin remembered how they were supposed to wake up early to go with Kyungsoo to meet the Solaris prince. He let out a grunt as he covered his face with the blanket.

“Come on Jongin!” Minseok exclaimed. He knew it would be difficult to get the younger out of bed. He loved to sleep in and hated when others woke him up.

Jongin heaved a sigh, kicked off the blanket, and quickly sat up, hair in every direction. “This better be worth it.” He replied as he stood up.

Kyungsoo opened the door wide open and let himself inside his knight’s quarters, ”Horses are ready…” he looked over at Jongin who was giving him a groggy stare. “Why aren’t you ready?”

Jongin groaned, “Wait!”

Minseok let out a small chuckle.

Kyungsoo scoffed, “I told you that once the sun was visible on the horizon, we had to leave before anyone wakes up.”

Jongin imitated him as he put on his clothes.

Kyungsoo rolled his eyes and sat himself down. Hopefully Baekhyun wasn’t having as much trouble as he was.

***

Chanyeol and Jongdae hesitantly walked into the clearing they used to know as kids. Their swords were by their sides and bows behind their back along with arrows. They didn’t know what to expect and needed to be careful.

Their eyes darted around and it was still as they remembered. The tree was still in the center and the stream still looked as clean as it did before. They looked up and saw as the trees hung over as if shielding it from the outside. It still brought out that serene feeling it used to as kids.

They felt their guard come down as they scanned the area. There was no one but them, there wasn’t a Monalet in sight. Jongdae let out a small sigh as he relaxed a bit. Baekhyun was already settling himself next to the tree. He had on a bright smile and looked comfortable as he sat down.

“So…what do we do?” Chanyeol asked as he walked next to Baekhyun.

Baekhyun shrugged, “We wait for them to get here.”

Jongdae rolled his eyes. He never would have thought he would be in this situation. He hated every aspect of it, except maybe getting to come to the secret clearing again. A rattling caused his head to turn towards the entryway. His eyes narrowed and again, his guard went up. Monalets were known to be quick tempered and wanted nothing but to fight at every chance they got.

The first was the Monalet prince that emerged. He straightened up and dusted himself off. His knights quickly followed him, standing closely behind. Their eyes narrowed onto Jongdae and Chanyeol. The Solaris knights quickly returned the gaze. One fatal move would easily turn this into a battle between them.

“About time Kyungsoo.” Baekhyun said as he stood.

Kyungsoo smiled at him, “One of my knights enjoys sleep.”

Baekhyun took a step towards Kyungsoo, but Chanyeol quickly stepped in front of him. Baekhyun blinked and looked up at him. “Chanyeol?”

Chanyeol stood his ground. Tensions were running so high, Baekhyun was unsure of how to make it better.

Kyungsoo cleared his throat, “So, where to today?” He asked.

Baekhyun looked over at him, “Would it be alright to go to the waterfall?”

“Waterfall?” Jongin asked.

Kyungsoo felt a small smile want to embroider his lips. He understood what Baekhyun was doing. If they went to a place where he had taken Kyungsoo, then his knights would feel more comfortable knowing Kyungsoo knew where they were going. Plus, Jongin had always wanted to see a waterfall and he loved seeing the younger happy.

“Alright, good idea.” He replied.

Baekhyun smiled, “Okay,” He held Chanyeol’s arm and Chanyeol looked down at him. “We’re going to the waterfall.” Baekhyun told him brightly.

Chanyeol smiled down at him, “Haven’t been there in a while.”

“Kyungsoo…” Jongin whispered by Kyungsoo’s ear. The elder looked over at him, smiling.

“Are we really going to see a waterfall?”

“It’s beautiful Jongin, you’re going to love it.”

Jongin’s eyes suddenly brightened and his mouth made a little “o” shape. He had conflicting feelings about this. On one hand, he was wary to be anywhere near Solarians. But on the other, he was excited to finally be able to see a waterfall. He had heard tales from other knights on how beautiful they were. He had learned, when he was learning the history of Monalet, that the Moon God would visit waterfalls all of the time. To think that he would finally be able to see what a waterfall was and looked like…he could hardly keep his enthusiasm contained.

“We should go, the sooner we go, the sooner we can leave.” Jongdae said harshly as he rolled his eyes.

Minseok scoffed, “I agree. We don’t want to waste too much time with…certain people.”

Jongdae’s eyes narrowed at the eldest knight, “I’m glad we feel indifferent towards one another.”

“Anyway!” Baekhyun said loudly, “We should get going.”

***

Minseok would be lying if he said he didn’t feel excited knowing he was about to see a waterfall. But, he couldn’t bring himself to feel comfortable when he knew Solarians were riding next to him on horseback. Kyungsoo had instructed them to stay close behind him, Minseok and Jongin agreed.

The Solarian prince rode a little up ahead, his knights closely behind him. It would be so easy to take out his bow and aim for their heads, but alas, he promised Kyungsoo he would do nothing of the sort.

The Solarian prince suddenly stopped in front what looked like the edge of a cliff. There was a small trail on the side as a way to climb up to the top. The Solarians climbed off their horses and lead them towards a small watering hole nearby.

Kyungsoo quickly got off as well. He turned around to look at his knights, “We need to leave the horses here.”

Jongin climbed off and walked next to Kyungsoo, “I feel a little nervous leaving my horse with theirs.”

Kyungsoo scoffed and ruffled the younger knight’s hair. “Nothing will happen. You promised to give them a chance.”

Jongin was about to open his mouth to say he promised to not hurt them. He never promised to give them a chance. But, he decided against it.

“I haven’t been here in seasons!” Jongdae exclaimed as he ran up to the trail.

Chanyeol ran up behind him, “Me neither. Is the waterfall the same?”

Kyungsoo walked next to Baekhyun and his horse, “I hope this is a good idea.” He whispered.

Baekhyun shrugged, “We both already know the answer to that.”

Kyungsoo chuckled, of course this wasn’t a good idea. He turned around to look at his knights who were petting their horse’s snouts lovingly. “Be careful climbing up, it’s a little rocky.”

Jongin smiled at him, “No problem.”

In no time at all, they were walking up the trail together. They seemed divided with three on one side and three on the other. Baekhyun and Kyungsoo stood a little closer to each other, but the knights made sure to walk further apart.

Baekhyun pierced his lips together. The silence was getting to him, it felt awful. No one wanted to say a word.

“So…” He looked over at his knights, “Have you introduced yourselves?”

Jongdae scoffed, “You’re kidding right?”

Baekhyun shook his head, “No.”

Jongdae looked over at the Monalet knights, who were looking on ahead. Even if he did introduce himself, their kind would never listen. They were rude and behaved like wild animals.

“Don’t be impolite.” Baekhyun said.

Jongdae rolled his eyes, “Hello.” He said.

The Monalet knights glanced over slowly, so did Kyungsoo.

“I’m Jongdae, the Solaris prince’s knights.”

Kyungsoo gave him a small smile. “Nice to make your acquaintance. I’m Kyungsoo, prince of Monalet. These are my knights, Jongin and Minseok.”

Kyungsoo looked over at them, they looked back at him. They had a pleading look in their eyes, but the prince’s gaze turned stern. They both let out a sigh.

Jongin and Minseok looked over at the Solarians. “Nice to make your acquaintance.”

Baekhyun smiled, “I’m Baekhyun, prince of Solaris. I have two knights, Jongdae and Chanyeol.”

Chanyeol had hoped that he wouldn’t be brought into this. But now he had no choice but to look over. The Monalet knights were staring at him and he gave them a small smile before turning away.

“So, you worship the moon?” Baekhyun asked.

Jongin scoffed, “Not the moon, the Moon God.”

“Oh forgive me.” Baekhyun replied.

“What does he do? Watch over while you sleep?” Jongdae asked.

Minseok looked over at him, “Yes. And he makes sure to make miracles happen so that we can be happy in our life.”

“The Sun Goddess watches over us day and night. But allows the moon to come out at night so we may rest.” Chanyeol answered.

“Allows? No, the Moon God is superior, therefore taking over the night.” Minseok corrected.

“No…” Jongdae suddenly spoke. “The Sun Goddess lets the moon take over at night because the sun is obviously more important than the moon.”

“I think they are both pretty important.” Baekhyun replied.

Kyungsoo nodded, “You can’t have one without the other.”

The knights clammed up and didn’t bother continuing the conversation. There was no use in arguing. They were supposed to be “getting along”.

Jongin was looking away from them when suddenly, he heard the noise of water. He perked up his head and looked ahead. He couldn’t pin point exactly where it was coming from, but he knew he heard it from somewhere. His heart began to accelerate as he got excited. “Do you hear that?” He asked.

Kyungsoo smiled at him, “That’s the waterfall. We just need to squeeze in between the rocks up ahead.”

Jongin smiled wide and suddenly everything about Solarians disappeared from his mind. He ran up to those boulders and quickly peered inside. “I don’t see anything.” He yelled back. 

Chanyeol rolled his eyes and ran next to him, “That’s because you have to go inside.” He told him annoyed. “Move over so I can show you.”

Jongin furrowed his brows at him as he pouted. “No. I want to do it.” It wasn’t menacing, if anything he looked like a baby bear that didn’t get his way.

Chanyeol wanted to smile, but quickly reminded himself that the latter was a Monalet.

“How hard can it be? If you can fit and you’re a giant, then I should have no trouble.” Jongin remarked.

Chanyeol’s eyebrow twitched, he now understood the phrase “looks are not everything”. This guy might be good looking, but he was nothing less of annoying.

Kyungsoo walked next to Jongin, “Let him demonstrate. I promise, we will soon get to see the waterfall.”

Jongin’s eyes sparkled in curiosity as he looked at Kyungsoo. “Is it as amazing as they say?”

Kyungsoo nodded, gentle smile never leaving his face. “It’s beautiful.”

Jongin nodded and moved aside, letting Chanyeol go through the boulders first. It was a tighter squeeze than he remembered, but he somehow managed.

Jongdae followed behind him and then Baekhyun. Kyungsoo went in right after them, holding Jongin’s hand. Jongin reached for Minseok and quickly squeezed his hand tight, earning a laugh from the elder.

“I’m right behind you Jongin.” Minseok assured him as he followed behind.

The six of them squeezed in, Minseok being the last to go through. The sight at the other end was mesmerizing.

Once Jongin laid his eyes on it, his mouth dropped. A beautiful cascade of water hit the rocks beneath it, making a loud thunderous sound. It was elegant in the way it moved, yet could easily move anything out of its path. It was nothing like Jongin had seen before. Minseok was just as mesmerized, his eyes shined as he saw the body of water making contact with whatever was below it.

“You can get closer.” Baekhyun whispered softly.

For a second, Jongin didn’t think about the person that uttered the words. The only thing he could think of was the waterfall. He gave a slight nod as he took a step towards it.

Kyungsoo giggled and took Jongin by the hand, “Don’t be nervous.” He pulled him along as he ran towards it, Jongin laughed behind him.

Chanyeol furrowed his brows at them, was this some kind of trick? Were they simply pretending to be loving and set to attack when they had their guard down?

Jongdae thought the same thing. Monalets were known to be ruthless and heartless fighters.

The Monalet prince leaned down into the water and Jongin quickly mimicked him. The both of them laughed and Kyungsoo splashed water into Jongin’s face. The younger let out an innocent laugh and splashed him back.

“Minseok!” Kyungsoo called out as he turned to face him.

Minseok wanted to go. But, he felt wary with the Solarians watching. What if he turned their back on them and they did something? Jongin seemed to have forgotten his training as a knight and had instead let his excitement get the best of him.

Kyungsoo tilted his head a little to the left. He knew Minseok was older, thus he felt more responsibility for the both of them. But, he wished he could somehow make him see that there was no danger. That they were fine.

The Monalet prince looked over at Baekhyun, who was smiling from ear to ear. Kyungsoo motioned for him to come, Baekhyun quickly obliged.

Jongdae and Chanyeol stiffened as they saw Baekhyun walking towards Kyungsoo. They kept on high alert as they saw their prince sit next to him.

Kyungsoo extended his hand out and Baekhyun placed his hand in it. Jongin’s eyes widened at the gesture. The knights behind them kept their guard up.

“Do you see the sparkling crystals underwater?” Kyungsoo asked as he placed both their hands under the water.

Baekhyun nodded as he looked, “Yes. They’re pretty.”

“Back in Monalet, the jewelry maker gathers them and shapes them beautifully. And then, they are used to propose.”

Baekhyun’s mouth dropped. “Really?” He got out of Kyungsoo’s hand and reached for the closest one to the shore. He pulled it out and stared at it. It was pretty and gleamed under the sun. It didn’t have a color, it was transparent as the sun shined through it. He smiled, “We use these too! They symbolize eternal love. I was unaware they came from underwater.”

Kyungsoo nodded, “The minerals underwater make them.”

Baekhyun looked at him smiling, “Our kingdoms seem to have similarities.”

“It would seem so.” Kyungsoo told him back, smiling.

Suddenly, Jongin grabbed Kyungsoo’s wrist and the both of them fell into the water, making a big splash.

Baekhyun shut his eyes and his hands lifted up to block his face.

Kyungsoo sprung out of the water, shaking his head. “Jongin!” He used his hands to rub his face, “What are you doing?”

Jongin came out of the water, eyes shut, but he quickly opened them to smirk at him. He reached out and pulled Kyungsoo in for a hug. “Let’s swim, please?”He pouted and sent a quick glance to Baekhyun, then looked back at Kyungsoo.

Baekhyun covered his mouth to suppress a laugh. Kyungsoo’s knight was behaving like a jealous little brother who wasn’t being given enough attention. 

At this point, Chanyeol was having conflicting feelings. On one hand, he told himself to keep his guard up and be alert at all times. But another side of him wanted to jump in the water too.

He looked over at the knight who was hugging Kyungsoo. There was something about him that was a little intriguing. Maybe Baekhyun was onto something with Monalets. Maybe…just maybe…Baekhyun wasn’t wrong and was onto something.

He heard a laugh from behind him. His eyes widened and he turned around. Minseok was holding his stomach as he…laughed!?

His eyes were shut and he let out high pitched laughs that were nothing like what he imagined a Monalet would laugh like…he didn’t think Monalets laughed to begin with!

The eldest knight covered his mouth to stop his laughter but to no avail.

“Chanyeol, Jongdae!” Baekhyun called out. “Jump in with me, please?”

The two knight’s eyes quickly darted from Baekhyun to the water and the Monalets in it. Was this a good idea? Would they regret it? Should they decline?

“Baekhyun, I don’t know if—“ Jongdae began.

Baekhyun pouted and ran towards them. He grabbed onto their wrists. “That’s an order!” He yelled as he pulled them along.

They ran with him, still unsure whether this was a good idea or not. “Baekhyun—“ Chanyeol tried saying, but Baekhyun simply ran faster. The Solaris prince might be small, but he was very strong and light on his feet. He ran faster and was much more agile than anyone else in the kingdom.

He stopped in front of the water and quickly ran behind his two knights. Before they could process what was going on, Baekhyun pushed them both in. It was an easy task since they weren’t expecting it.

“Baekhyun!” They yelled in unison as they landed in the water.

Chanyeol’s head flew out and he tilted it as he used his hand to hit the side of it.  Water had gotten deep into his ear thanks to that prince. He heard a small chuckle come from his right and he turned. It was that knight from before…Jongin. He was smirking at him, eyebrow raised.

“Scared of the water?” He teased.

Chanyeol scowled at him, “No!”

“You can’t even swim.”

“Making assumptions can be dangerous.”

Jongin shook his head, “No assumption, it’s fact. You’re standing instead of allowing yourself to float. In our kingdom, only children who are learning to swim do that.”

Chanyeol scoffed, “Ok, so I can’t swim. So what? Are you an expert or something?”

Jongin bit his bottom lip and suddenly began swimming towards him and then swam in circles.  
“Actually…yeah.” He answered mockingly.

Chanyeol scowled at him, “You’re lucky Baekhyun told me not to do anything. Or else I would wipe that smug little grin off of your face.”

Jongin laughed as he allowed himself to float on his back, “What are you gonna do? Come get me? Drown?”

Chanyeol gritted his teeth together, he takes back everything about this guy being intriguing.

“Let’s go on land and see if you’ll still be so brave.” Jongdae said from beside him.

They heard a scoff by the shore. Chanyeol looked towards it. The other Monalet knight…Minseok was squatting, smirking at them. “Typical. Solarians that can’t swim.”

“Jongin would be more than happy to teach you.” Kyungsoo suddenly spoke up. “Wouldn’t you Jongin?”

Jongin scoffed, “No way!”

Baekhyun suddenly let himself into the water and went next to his knights, “I think Chanyeol would appreciate it.” He looked at the taller knight, “Wouldn’t you Chanyeol?”

Chanyeol shook his head, “The day I allow a Monalet to come near enough to touch me, is the very day I die.”

Baekhyun playfully hit his shoulder, “Be nice. You’re behaving like a Mona—“ He gasped and covered his mouth to look at Kyungsoo.

Kyungsoo was suppressing a laugh and ultimately released it. His eyes crinkling as Baekhyun saw a perfect heart form on his lips. Baekhyun’s hand dropped and he smiled. Kyungsoo was laughing! Genuinely laughing! He looked so innocent and tender when he did it. It brought a warm feeling into the pit of Baekhyun’s stomach.

“You mean behaving like a Sola—“ Kyungsoo covered his mouth to tease Baekhyun.

Jongdae let out a light scoff. He felt at ease…which was strange. He was around Monalets and they weren’t behaving like he was taught they do. They were playful and calm and didn’t seem too different from himself and…

Jongdae quickly shook the thoughts away. NO! He was not about to compare a Monalet to a Solarian! Never!

“Don’t you get lessons from him or something?” Jongdae asked as he looked at Baekhyun.

Baekhyun placed his finger on his chin as he thought, “Yes…usually. But, I don’t really feel like it today. Maybe next time?”

Jongdae raised an eyebrow. “Isn’t that the reason we’re here?”

Baekhyun shook his head, “No. We came to show them the waterfall.” Jongdae’s eyebrow twitched in annoyance. He felt as though maybe he had been lied to.

“Actually, we do have a deal.” Kyungsoo interjected as he stood up from the water. “We should get your lesson started before it gets later.”

Baekhyun pouted and then sighed, “Alright.” He stood up, “But only because Kyungsoo insists.”

Kyungsoo laughed, “This was your idea to begin with!”

***

The four knights got out of the water and sat on the grass as they watched Kyungsoo try to show Baekhyun how to aim and shoot properly. He would demonstrate and then Baekhyun would quickly mimic afterwards.

The knights sat with a small gap. The Monalet knights sat on the left, while the Solaris knights sat on the right of them. They were still wary of one another, but trusted that they wouldn’t try anything on each other. The both of them had promised the princes to not try and hurt one another. That’s something that they would both honor.

Chanyeol and Jongdae saw how Baekhyun would put his full trust in Kyungsoo. The Monalet prince would use gentle words when he spoke. He also had a great habit of using compliments when Baekhyun did something correctly, instead of reprimanding him for a mistake, he would simply advise him on how to improve. It was strange to see a Monalet behaving this way. Like this they seemed…kind.

Jongin and Minseok also felt strange as they watched the princes interact with one another. Baekhyun would listen intently to Kyungsoo and never interrupted him. He always took the latter’s opinion and would voice his concerns only when he didn’t fully comprehend something. He also had a tendency to smile a lot. They had been told that Solarians were narcissistic and had big egos. But, seeing him act like this proved this notion wrong. Baekhyun never grew upset or angry when he was wrong. He would instead realize his mistake and accept what Kyungsoo had to say.

Finally, the sun indicated to them that it was about time that they head back home.

“I think it’s time to head back.” Chanyeol said as he stood.

Baekhyun looked over at him, bow in hand. His eyes darted towards the sun and he saw that Chanyeol was right.

“We should head back. There are things I need to get done today.” Kyungsoo said.

Baekhyun looked over at him, “Alright.” He put his bow behind his back along with his arrows. “Next time, right?”

Kyungsoo gave him a small smile, “You already know the answer.”

Baekhyun gave the latter a big grin.

Jongdae walked over and grabbed Baekhyun’s arm. “Time to go.” He said.

Baekhyun nodded, “Of course.”

The Solaris knights pulled their prince behind them, the Monalet knights did the same.

“We shall take our leave.” Jongdae told them.

Kyungsoo nodded, “We will stay a little longer with the waterfall.”

Baekhyun smiled at him, “I’ll be seeing you.”

The trio began to squeeze through the rocks, Chanyeol stayed a bit behind. Jongin used this time to his advantage. He walked up to the Solaris knight from behind and slowly leaned in, “You remember what your prince said? I can give you lessons, but in exchange you obey me…Solarian.”

Chanyeol furrowed his brows and looked over his shoulder. “We’ll see who’ll be taking orders from who…Monalet.”

Chanyeol squeezed through the boulders shortly after saying that, following Jongdae.

Jongin scoffed. Solarians weren’t as bad as he was led to believe. But, it would be hilarious to see the tall one riled up.

“Jongin,” Kyungsoo called. Jongin’s head turned to face him, “Be nice.” Kyungsoo reprimanded.

Jongin laughed, “Whatever you say.” He responded as he ran back towards the waterfall.

***

“What did you think?” Baekhyun asked as they got atop their horses.

Jongdae scoffed, “What do you want me to say?”

“They were nice, weren’t they?”

Jongdae shrugged, “Doesn’t matter. After this, we are never going to see them again.”

Baekhyun smiled at him, “We’re seeing them again soon.” He replied.

Chanyeol rolled his eyes. He hated to admit that Baekhyun may be right. That perhaps Monalets were not as bad as he had thought. But he would never let Baekhyun know he was thinking that. It may give their prince some kind of hope that a friendship was possible. But it wasn’t. Chanyeol needed to play it safe and pretend as though he hated them with every fiber of his being.


	13. Chapter 13

_Baekhyun,_

_It was nice to see you with your knights today. In all honesty, it went much better than I had anticipated. Perhaps next time, we can all get together and have them get to know each other. That would also be a bonus for me, because I would get to learn more about you. You are a very intriguing person and I look forward to seeing you again. But don’t let that get to your head…Solarian._

_-Kyungsoo_

Baekhyun reread the scroll he had received for what seemed like the hundredth time. He had laughed out loud last night when he read the last part. It seemed as though Kyungsoo was getting comfortable with teasing him and Baekhyun didn’t mind it one bit. Kyungsoo was a very kind person that had a very tough exterior. But when the latter laughed, Baekhyun felt his entire being react in joy. Kyungsoo had a cute smile and he looked adorable when his eyes scrunched up. Baekhyun saw their friendship as a positive thing for both of their kingdoms. What could possibly be better than the next two heirs looking past a feud that happened eons ago and instead becoming friends? Baekhyun could think of nothing more satisfying. Besides, this was a new generation, time for new ideas. Baekhyun would be sure to implement acceptance and forgiveness in the heart of all Solarians.

“Baekhyun!” Jongdae called as he ran into the prince’s room. “We’re waiting for you. What are you doing?”

Baekhyun looked over at him, still holding the scroll in his hand. “Nothing.” He stood up from his bed. “Sorry, I was a little occupied.”

Jongdae rolled his eyes, “Should I ask who it’s from?”

Baekhyun shook his head, “I don’t think you want to know.”

Jongdae scrunched up his face, “Hurry up before I puke.”

Baekhyun laughed as he began to tear it up into tiny pieces. “Stop being so melodramatic.”

Jongdae let out a sigh, he was worried for Baekhyun…very worried. He still felt as though he needed to be on alert when he was around Monalets, but he also understood that maybe Baekhyun had a point. Perhaps it was time to look past a silly argument and make peace. But thinking like this could lead them down a dangerous path due to the fact that the king and queen had the final say in everything. Baekhyun may be the prince, but he was not yet in charge. Only when he married another royal would he be able to take the throne.

“The younger knights want to see your swordsmanship skills.” Jongdae responded back.

Baekhyun nodded, “Alright.” He grabbed the tiny pieces of paper and placed them in a small vase by the bed. “Let’s go.”

“What’s with the vase?” Jongdae asked as he followed Baekhyun out of the room.

“I’m going to burn the tiny pieces of paper inside later. I can’t risk anyone finding the note intact.”

Jongdae hummed in response. “Oh!” Jongdae suddenly spoke out as his eyes went wide, “By the way, apparently there is going to be a trial today.”

Baekhyun looked over at him, “A trial?” He hadn’t seen one since he was a child.

“Yeah, apparently someone tried robbing the basket weavers today. Your dad gave us a quick summary before I came up here. I think he’ll let you know more later.”

Baekhyun scoffed. Trials were rare to be had in Solaris. He wondered what exactly this one was going to be about.

***

_Kyungsoo,_

_Your compliment has already risen to my head. I suppose it may be a Solarian thing? But I would be lying if I said I didn’t wish to know more about you as well. I think your idea is a splendid one and I feel as though our meeting in the secret clearing cannot come fast enough! I seem to miss you already. Is that perhaps strange?_

_-Baekhyun_

Kyungsoo knew he had to dispose of the scroll as soon as possible, but he couldn’t seem to bring himself to rid of this one. He had no explanation as to why not, he just didn’t want to. Instead, he placed the scroll in a small container under his bed. Maybe he could bury it later in the secret clearing. There had been a spot where Baekhyun and he had agreed to hide scrolls.

After making sure that the scroll would not be found, he set out to meet his knights. But, not before walking towards the window to grab the vase. The flower he had put in it was still thriving, but its petals seemed to be drooping a bit. His eyes looked over it and the once radiant green leaves seemed to be getting a bit duller. He let out a slight puff of air and grabbed the vase next to it that held the water from the Eastern side of the kingdom. He poured more into the soil and watched as it absorbed it.

He put the water down and walked briskly away towards the den instead. The den is where the first crop sample had been placed. It wasn’t being examined anymore, but the den was being used to hold all of the information they had about the dying crops. Kyungsoo and his knights had decided to leave the flower in there with the water. It would become their own personal area where only they could do their work on the dying crops.

Kyungsoo walked at a brisk pace and arrived quickly inside. He opened the doors and then shut them. Minseok and Jongin were already there waiting for him. Minseok was leaning over the plant that they had gotten as a sample the first time. Jongin smiled once Kyungsoo walked in.

“How is the flower doing?” Jongin asked.

Kyungsoo shrugged as he walked in. “You tell me.” He placed the vase right next to the first sample. The two knights eyed it curiously. Jongin squinted his eyes as his face got closer to it. “It looks different.” Jongin said.

“Have you been watering it with the water sample?” Minseok asked.

Kyungsoo nodded, “Yes. We’re going to need to get more water from the Eastern side today. We hardly have any left.”

Jongin circled the flower and leaned in closer. “It looks…weaker to me.”

Minseok nodded, “It does.” He straightened up. “We can announce that this place is restricted for authorized personnel only.”

Kyungsoo placed a scroll on the table, next to a feather and ink for writing. “Each day, we record what we see.” He picked up the feather as he dipped it ink.

_Flower appears to be not as strong as when we first planted it._

_Placed more water from our sample._

“We should get more water from the watering hole and come back. We need a bigger sample.” Jongin commented as Kyungsoo wrote.

The prince nodded in agreement. “We shall lock the door and head out immediately. I will also make an announcement later on how no one is allowed inside the den without my permission.”

***

The trials of justice held in Solaris were created years ago. They were simple and very easy to follow. When someone in the kingdom committed a crime, they would be able to present their case in the center of the town. There was a small stage on which the accused and the accuser would stand.

The king and queen would listen to both sides of the story and examine the evidence. From there, they would decide whether or not the accused was guilty or innocent. After that, the punishment would be decided. This can vary from house arrest for a day to exile, depending on the crime. The king and queen had final say on the punishment, but the townspeople gathered could yell out suggestions on what punishment they deemed appropriate.

Trials were very rare and Baekhyun had only been to one when he was still just a child. Crime was very low in Solaris and even when one was committed, the accused and accuser usually settled it themselves without needing the king and queen. This one, however, was not being resolved peacefully.

“How do you feel?” Chanyeol asked as they stood behind the king and queen.

Baekhyun shrugged, “I hope it isn’t too long. And I doubt it will be. Not many people have gathered to witness.”

The prince’s eyes darted upward towards the stage and he realized that the accused was Jisoo, the mother of Jisung and the accuser was Seunghee, the basket weaver.

“What seems to be the problem here?” The queen asked.

“Your highness, Jisoo came into the shop this morning and stole a basket. I caught up with her and told her that mistakes happen to everyone and demanded she pay me for the basket she stole. But she refuses to do so. All I ask is that she pay me for the basket.”

The queen nodded and looked over at Jisoo, the young mother quickly shook her head, “That is not true your majesty. I left the money on the counter and left. It is not my fault that she misplaced it.”

“Was there any witnesses to this crime?” The queen asked.

Seunghee shook her head, “No, it is my word against hers, but I assure you, there was no money on the counter.”

Jisoo interjected, “I left the money there. I would never steal.”

The queen looked between the both of them, unsure of who to believe. She looked over at her husband, “What do you think?”

The king scoffed, “You know what I think.”

The queen smiled and looked straight ahead, “Baekhyun.” She called out in a stern voice.

Baekhyun jumped, a bit startled to hear his name, “Yes mother?”

“Step forward.”

Baekhyun looked at his knights and then walked to stand in between his parents. “Yes?”

“You heard the case. We want you to decide what should happen.”

Baekhyun’s eyes widened. This is not what he expected. He never had any practice in this and he wasn’t sure what to respond. Of course he heard the case, but why should such a decision be placed on him?

“Baekhyun, they are waiting.” The king replied.

“I—“ Baekhyun cleared his throat and looked up at the two girls giving him hopeful eyes. They both seemed to be telling the truth and he knew that both of them were kind and honest people.

“I think,” The prince began, in hopes that he would say the right thing. “that both of them are telling the truth. Perhaps the money fell off the counter or somehow ended up somewhere else by accident. Regardless, I believe that neither of them are guilty.”

“That doesn’t solve the problem that there is missing money and that someone needs to pay for that basket.” The queen interjected.

Baekhyun nodded, “Yes, very true. However, since I believe both are being honest, I think that Jisoo should help Seunghee for a day in the shop. Nothing will happen to Jisung if he is left alone with Jiwon for a short while. Therefore, Jisoo pays back for the missing money in labor, while Seunghee gets a short break.”

Baekhyun looked at his mother and father, who were smiling at him. They looked back at the two on the stage, “What do you ladies think of that solution?”

The two girls looked over at each other, “I can come tomorrow when the sun is above our heads and stay until sun down.”

Seunghee nodded, “I would appreciate that.” They both smiled at each other and looked back at the prince. “We accept the solution.”

The queen clapped her hands, “Then it is settled. Tomorrow, Jisoo is to report and help you in whatever you ask.”

The king put his hand on Baekhyun’s shoulder, “Well done.” He whispered loud enough for only Baekhyun to hear. The prince felt pride begin to swell up in his chest. He had just received praise from his father…for an idea of his!

“Thank you.” He answered as he looked up to lock eyes with the king. Their relationship had been strong when Baekhyun was a child, but, it had gotten strained as he got older. But, knowing that his dad was proud of him, made him feel as though maybe they could work on it. Perhaps all is not lost.

The crowd began to disperse and soon the accused and accuser made their way home. The king and queen were escorted back, Baekhyun and his knights trailed behind.

Chanyeol nudged Baekhyun, the prince looked up at him.

“You did an amazing job earlier.” Chanyeol said.

“You did really good.” Jongdae added.

Baekhyun felt as though he was on cloud 9. Perhaps becoming king wasn’t as scary as he thought it would be. Maybe it was something he could manage as long as he had confidence in his abilities and decisions.

“I’ll do even better in the next trial.” Baekhyun replied happily.

Chanyeol smiled wide at him, eyes crinkling and cheeks going up. “I can’t wait to see that.”

***

Kyungsoo and his knights were making their way back to the castle. They were each coming back with vases full of water from the Eastern side. Luckily, they could strap them to their horses. That way they wouldn’t need to carry them home themselves.

The downfall to this solution is that the horses needed to walk back home slowly so as not to drop any water. However, the trio didn’t mind it, they were in no rush and there was no need to hurry back. It was actually kind of nice to be like this. They simply conversed amongst each other and Kyungsoo felt as though this was some kind of bonding time.

“Kyungsoo, are we going tomorrow to the clearing again?” Jongin asked as they made their way back.

Kyungsoo nodded, “The deal is every other day, so, yes.”

“When is this deal over?” Minseok questioned.

Kyungsoo twisted his lips to the side as he pondered. “I don’t know. I didn’t think of that.”

Minseok looked down at his hands, “I don’t know how good of an idea this is.”

Kyungsoo licked his lips. He understood his knight’s worries. He just wished that he could somehow have them see that there was nothing to worry about.

“What are you most scared of?” Kyungsoo asked.

“Getting caught.” Jongin answered.

Kyungsoo turned to look at him, “That is why we dress the way we do, so that we won’t get caught. If we are careful, then we will be fine. Is that the only thing that worries you?”

Jongin gave him a pout, “Honestly...yes.”

Kyungsoo raised his eyebrow in curiosity.

“Alright, we will be honest with you. They don’t seem like bad people. I would not mind seeing them again. But, it is dangerous to do so.” Minseok added.

Kyungsoo looked on ahead and smiled in glee. His knights were coming around. Perhaps the princes of Solaris and Monalet could be the key to end this useless feud.

***

Night time came very soon for Solaris. Baekhyun was lying in bed, his knights next to him. They were eating bread as they lied next to their prince.

Baekhyun took a glance at them and smiled, “Stay here for the night.” He remarked.

Jongdae laughed, “And sleep where? The floor?”

Baekhyun laughed back, “Yes.”

Chanyeol shook his head, “After we finish, we’re going back to the knight’s quarters.”

Baekhyun tilted his head as he smiled at them, “So…I have been meaning to ask you something.”

The knights looked up at him, “Yes?”

Baekhyun cleared his throat. “What do you think of the Monalet prince?”

Chanyeol’s smile faltered and he looked down. Jongdae raised an eyebrow.

Baekhyun gulped, “What? It’s just a question.” He looked away, “We’re meeting them tomorrow again, by the way.”

“Baekhyun, how much do you like the Monalet prince?” Chanyeol asked.

Baekhyun looked over at him, “I told you, I consider him a friend.”

“That can be dangerous.” Jongdae told him.

Baekhyun scowled at them. “I don’t want your advice. I simply wanted an answer to my question.”

Jongdae let out a scoff, “And what do you want us to say? Our honest answer is that they aren’t bad. I saw that when I met them. But it doesn’t matter what I think, we are not seeing them after your archery skills get better. That was the deal, remember?”

Baekhyun let out a pout and turned around. They just didn’t get it. He didn’t understand why they couldn’t see it through his eyes. There was nothing wrong with being friends with Monalets. But, he would show them. He would show his entire kingdom when he became king.


	14. Chapter 14

“Baekhyun, why are we here?” Chanyeol asked groggily.

Baekhyun tiptoed as he reached for another tangerine, “I think it would be nice to bring them fruits from Solaris.” He responded.

Jongdae let out an annoyed sigh. He never, in a million years, would have thought that he would be gathering food for Monalets to eat. Baekhyun woke him up extra early so that they could help him pick tangerines.

“I don’t know if they eat when they come to meet us.” The prince replied. “So, I thought it would be nice to have breakfast with them.”

Jongdae let out a scoff, “How do you know they even like tangerines?”

“Well, I’m taking cinnamon bread too. Tangerines and cinnamon bread, nice huh?” Baekhyun gave him a cheeky smile.

Jongdae’s lip twitched as he tried to keep himself from saying anything mean about the Monalet prince. “Sure.”

Their tangerine picking went by quickly after Chanyeol and Jongdae had begun trying instead of whining. They went back to the castle and Baekhyun grabbed the cinnamon bread from the counter. He made sure to cut it up into six even pieces so that they could each have one and a couple of tangerines. He placed them all in separate baskets and made sure to seal them tight.

“Now, we can leave.” Baekhyun remarked as he tied the baskets securely to the horses.

Chanyeol yawned as he climbed atop his horse. “I’m sleepy. This better be worth waking up so early for.”

Baekhyun nodded, “It will be.” He climbed onto his horse. “We’ll go to the secret clearing and then go to the lake, the one with the swirling waters.”

Jongdae tilted his head, “I haven’t been there in a while. It would be nice to revisit.”

Baekhyun looked over at him, “This is bonding time for us too.”

Jongdae laughed, “I suppose so.”

***

The princes arrived at the secret clearing around the same time. Kyungsoo felt his smile spread wide when Baekhyun approached him. The latter seemed just as happy to see him which added to the Monalet prince’s joy.

“We seem to have arrived at the same time.” Kyungsoo told him. His knights stood behind him, eyeing the Solarians.

Baekhyun stopped in front of him, “I suppose so, but I’ll admit, I’m a bit tired. Is there any chance I could sleep on your lap later?”

Kyungsoo scoffed, “No way Solarian.”

Baekhyun shrugged, “Worth a shot. We should get going, I have a special place planned out.” He sent a wink at him, “I know you’ll like it.”

Kyungsoo raised his eyebrow, “I don’t know whether to trust your words, or be skeptical.”

Baekhyun sent him a smirk, “Simply follow and find out for yourself.” The prince turned around, walking back to his horse.

Kyungsoo chuckled and walked behind him. The Solaris knights walked next to Baekhyun. They still kept their guards up, still a little wary of the Monalet knights behind them.

The Monalet knights walked close behind Kyungsoo. Jongin would never admit it, but he was a little excited. The last outing was to a waterfall. He hoped that maybe, they would go to another place that was equally, if not more, breathtaking.

***

“Ok, we have arrived.” Baekhyun said as he climbed off of his horse. Kyungsoo looked ahead at what seemed like a thick shroud of trees. He raised his eyebrow and got off his horse.

“What is this?” He asked.

“Trust me.” Baekhyun replied.

Kyungsoo looked over at him. “It seems like just trees.”

Baekhyun rolled his eyes and grabbed his arm, they didn’t notice how the knights behind them suddenly went on high alert. Their eyes widened and they jumped off of their horses.

Baekhyun gave Kyungsoo a small smile, “Just need to see for yourself.” He went behind Kyungsoo and covered his eyes with his hands. The Monalet prince felt soft hands gently cover his eyes and he shut them as he jumped a bit. Baekhyun gently nudged him and Kyungsoo walked forward.

“Don’t pull a prank.” Kyungsoo said.

Baekhyun giggled, “Of course not.” The prince turned to face his knights, “Chanyeol, Jongdae, could you please bring the baskets?”

They let out a small huff, they would rather be doing anything else but they obeyed. They grabbed the baskets and made sure to hold them securely in their hands. Jongdae walked ahead, leaving Chanyeol to fumble with one of them. He glared at the elder knight and then walked a bit behind him.

He heard someone clear their throat from next to him, “Where are we?”

Chanyeol blinked and looked towards the sound. The Monalet knight, Jongin, was looking down at the ground. He seemed a bit embarrassed.

“What?”

Jongin cleared his throat again, “I asked where we were.”

Chanyeol scoffed, “It’s a big lake we used to come to all of the time. Baekhyun really likes it.”

Jongin nodded, “Thanks.” He responded as he walked on ahead. Chanyeol looked at him as he simply left him behind. He furrowed his brows at the rude guy. The Monalet knight couldn’t even look at him! Chanyeol should have just ignored his dumb question.

The princes walked ahead of all of the knights. Kyungsoo held onto Baekhyun’s hands as they walked further in.

“Watch out for the branch by your feet.” Baekhyun whispered softly. Kyungsoo stopped, and then lifted up his leg. Baekhyun continued leading him, making sure to take a path that would ensure there would be nothing to bring harm to Kyungsoo.

“Are we almost there?” Kyungsoo asked.

Baekhyun giggled close to his ear. “Almost.” He whispered.

Kyungsoo smiled. If someone would have ever told him he would be allowing a Solarian to touch him like this, he would have scowled and taken his sword out on the spot. But now, he didn’t have so much hatred in his heart. He was learning to accept someone he had never met.

Kyungsoo heard a small rustling as Baekhyun moved a leaf from Kyungsoo’s face. “We’re here.” Baekhyun said as he removed his hands. The Monalet prince opened his eyes and saw a lake in front of him. It was practically glowing with how clean it was. His mouth gawked open as his eyes widened, “Wow…” He mouthed.

He heard a small gasp and saw Minseok had just arrived next to him. The knight was also in awe as he looked at the lake.

“It’s beautiful.” Minseok said as he took a step closer.

Kyungsoo smiled wide as he ran next to Minseok and snuggled on his shoulder, “Let’s get closer?”

The elder smiled and nodded. The both of them sprinted, leaving behind Jongin who was still admiring the water. He smiled and ran after them. Kyungsoo and Minseok immediately got on their knees to look at it. The water was so clean, one could see the bottom perfectly.

Kyungsoo smiled and dipped his hand in, Minseok followed. Soon, Jongin was kneeling next to them. He dipped both hands in and smiled wide as he felt the water traveling up to his wrists. It was a cleansing feeling.

Baekhyun was smiling behind them with Jongdae and Chanyeol next to him.

“They really like the water.” Jongdae said as he looked over at them. They seemed like children as they giggled and played with the water.

“They do.” Baekhyun responded, “They have the same love for water as we do for the earth.”

“But…our love for the earth is pure.” Chanyeol interjected.

Baekhyun looked over at him, “And their love isn’t? Look at them.”

Chanyeol’s eyes darted back to the Monalets. They were still smiling at one another, playing with the water. They seemed…normal. Perhaps…they did have emotions.

Jongdae shook his head. “What now?” He asked as he looked at Baekhyun. “Archery, right?”

Baekhyun furrowed at his brows as he smirked at him. “No, we need to eat first. Remember?”

Jongdae rolled his eyes. “Well, get him over here already.”

Baekhyun pouted. “Let him have his moment.” He replied.

Jongdae let out a scoff as he plopped onto the floor.

Baekhyun sat next to him, “You know you like coming here.” He teased.

Jongdae smiled at him. That wasn’t the point. He couldn’t risk getting attached to Monalets. And at the rate things were going, he just might. Chanyeol laid down on his back and he let out small yell.

Baekhyun and Jongdae laughed as they looked down at him.

“You’re impossible Baekhyun.” Chanyeol told him as he rubbed his eyes.

Baekhyun looked out at the lake. The best part was yet to come. He smiled wide as he saw Kyungsoo enjoying himself. The Solaris prince loved to see him smiling. It brought a warmth to his chest and joy in his heart when Kyungsoo was happy.

***

Kyungsoo was enjoying the time he was spending with his knights. The trio was laughing and splashing one another. The Monalet prince fell on his behind as he laughed. The siblings in front of him wrestled playfully on the grass. Kyungsoo laughed and then remembered that he had left Baekhyun behind. He blinked and turned around. The Solaris prince was looking at him with a smile on his face and when they made eye contact, he sent him a small wave. Kyungsoo smiled and waved back, then stood up. He ran towards him.

Baekhyun tilted his head to the side when Kyungsoo stood over him. The Solaris knights looked away.

“Baekhyun, you don’t want to get closer to the water?”

Baekhyun nodded, “Of course, but there is something I want to show you first.” He pulled up the basket that was next to him. It was made with the colors of Solaris, orange and yellow. “Actually, it’s for all of us.”

Kyungsoo chuckled and then turned around, “Jongin! Minseok!”

The knights stopped what they were doing and looked up at Kyungsoo. The prince was gesturing for them to come towards him. They quickly straightened up and ran up to him.

“Yes?” Minseok asked.

Kyungsoo plopped down in front of Baekhyun, gesturing for the two knights to sit next to him. They made a face of disdain. They didn’t want to be sitting so close to Solarians, after all, they weren’t friends. They were merely people who knew of each other.

Kyungsoo smiled at them, “Please don’t be rude.”

Jongin rolled his eyes and let out a sigh as he sat next to Kyungsoo. He turned his head and saw the taller Solaris knight…Chanyeol sitting in front of him. His head was facing the Solaris prince instead of looking at Jongin. Which, in all honesty, he didn’t mind at all.

Minseok sat on the other side of Kyungsoo, in front of the other Solaris knight, Jongdae. But he refused to look at him. His eyes stayed fixated on Kyungsoo.

Baekhyun smiled and opened up the basket. He pulled out the bread and tangerines from inside. “I’m not sure if you were hungry, so I decided to make kind of a picnic.”

Kyungsoo eyed the food curiously. He had seen bread before, it was also made in his kingdom. But the strange orange ball, he had never seen before.

“What is that?”

Baekhyun looked up at him, “Hm?”

Kyungsoo pointed towards the strange, bumpy looking ball.

Baekhyun looked down and picked up the fruit. “This is a tangerine. It’s really good and juicy.”

Kyungsoo tilted his head to the side. “I have never seen that before.”

“They don’t grow in Monalet?”

Kyungsoo shook his head, “No.”

Baekhyun’s smile grew wider as he looked over Kyungsoo’s curious face. His eyes grew bigger and his lips pouted out a bit, making what seemed like a small heart. The Solaris prince let out a small giggle. How can someone his age look so cute?

“It’s a fruit.” He stuck his hand out for Kyungsoo to take. “Try it.”

Kyungsoo tilted his head to the side and took it in his hands. He put it by his nose to smell, but Minseok’s hand quickly interjected.

“I can’t have you eat that Kyungsoo.”

“It could be poisoned.” Jongin added.

Chanyeol let out a scoff, “You have some nerve Monalet. Baekhyun would never do that to anyone…ignorant brat.”

Jongin’s eyes darted to Chanyeol, eyes flaring. “Perhaps you wish to repeat that? If you’re brave enough.”

Chanyeol smirked at him, “I called you—“

Baekhyun cleared his throat, “Chanyeol, be polite.”

Chanyeol bit his bottom lip and straightened up, “You’re really lucky.”

Jongin raised his eyebrow at him as he smirked, “Look how I tremble.”

Baekhyun let out a sigh, “To resolve any doubt, I will eat a tangerine first.”

He pulled another out of his basket and began to peel the outer layer. The Monalets looked in curiosity as the top layer was being put to the side.

“You don’t eat the outside?” Kyungsoo asked.

Baekhyun shook his head, “Just the inside.” The Solaris prince held what looked like a soft orange ball in his hand. Kyungsoo was in awe at how the small ball was already in evenly sliced pieces.

Baekhyun pulled out one of the slices and plopped it in his mouth as he chewed happily. He extended his hand for Kyungsoo to take one. The Monalet prince did. He reached out and took one in his hands. He stared at the small slice and put it his mouth. He chewed once and was surprised to find that it almost all liquid. It had a sweet and slight sour taste to it. He chewed more and the juice exploded in his mouth. He smiled after he swallowed. “That’s really good.” He exclaimed happily.

Baekhyun grinned as he reached in his basket and took out two more. He handed one to Minseok and Jongin. The knights had been shown nothing but kindness from the latter. It felt wrong to deny a gift from him.

Minseok took it in his hands, “Thank you.” He replied as he bowed slightly.

Jongin did the same, “Thank you.”

Kyungsoo was using his small nails to peel the fruit. The knights looked as he did so. Soon, Kyungsoo gave each of them a slice. The knights tried it and agreed that it was indeed very good.

The Solaris prince giggled as he saw how happily Kyungsoo was enjoying the fruit. He pulled out the cinnamon bread and handed a slice to each one of them. They each took it and soon all of them were eating tangerines and cinnamon bread.

Minseok liked the fruit, but he fell in love with the bread. He inhaled the scent first and then took an eager bite. Jongin preferred the fruit. It had a bittersweet to it that he couldn’t get enough of.

“What type of fruit do you have in your kingdom?” Baekhyun asked Kyungsoo.

Kyungsoo looked up as he thought. “A lot of different kinds. We grow vegetables and fruits, the sweetest has to be plums.”

“Plums?” Baekhyun questioned.

Kyungsoo nodded, “They are a dark purple and about the size of this tangerine.”

Baekhyun smiled, “I would love to try it sometime.”

Kyungsoo took a bite out of his tangerine as he nodded, “I can bring some next time.”

Baekhyun pierced his lips together as he saw juice dribble down Kyungsoo’s chin. He reached out his hand and placed his thumb on the chin and swiped up softly so that it could get on his finger instead.

Kyungsoo felt the soft hand rub his chin gently and he looked down at it, then up at Baekhyun. The Solaris prince was looking at Kyungsoo’s chin and then looked up to meet eyes with Kyungsoo.

“You need to be more careful.” Baekhyun told him. “Tangerine juice is extremely sticky and can have a certain scent about it. It wouldn’t be wise for someone in Monalet to see it on you.”

Kyungsoo swallowed slowly as his eyes stayed on Baekhyun’s, were they always the color of autumn leaves?

“Thank you.” Kyungsoo said as a smile crept up on his lips.

Baekhyun gave him a crooked smile, “Don’t thank me. We need to be cautious, right?” He straighted up and continued eating his cinnamon bread.

***

Baekhyun wanted to make everyone around him feel comfortable. He had always been like that, even as a child. So, he decided that was exactly what he was going to try to do. They were all finishing up and Baekhyun used this opportunity to his advantage.

He looked over at Jongin, who seemed a bit easier to approach. “Did you enjoy it?” He asked.

The younger knight was mid chew when he looked up at Baekhyun. His cheeks were puffed up as the last of his bread was in his mouth. Small crumbs adorned the side of his lips and Baekhyun couldn’t help but smile at how cute the latter looked.

Jongin swallowed and nodded, “Yes, thank you.”

Baekhyun nodded, “I’m glad. I hope you can one day see me as a friend.”

Jongin raised an eyebrow and looked over at Kyungsoo, who was giving the younger knight a small smile.

“Err…” His eyes looked back at Baekhyun. He couldn’t possibly be rude to him. The Solaris prince was proving himself to be very kind and understanding. He would feel guilty if he suddenly responded with a snarky remark. “I guess…only time will tell.” He decided to say.

“I wonder…are knights in Monalet the same as knights in Solaris?”

Jongin shrugged, “I’m not sure. Uh…what are some of your traditions?”

Baekhyun looked over at Chanyeol. The knight looked back at him, “He’s asking you.” He told Baekhyun.

Baekhyun smirked, “I know, but you would have a better answer.”

Chanyeol let out a sigh and looked over at Jongin. The younger knight seemed a bit embarrassed and shy.

“Well…uh…I’m the prince’s knight so, my main goal is to take care of Baekhyun no matter what.” Chanyeol responded.

Jongin nodded slowly, “The same goes for me, even if it costs my life.”

Chanyeol sent him a small smile, “Our training began when we are still children.”

Jongin smiled, “Our training started once we learn to walk. However, I think my brother and I may have been an exception. You see, our parents were the king’s knights.”

Jongdae’s eyes widened, “Your parents were knights?”

Jongin looked over at him, “Yes, I suppose one could call it destiny. Our fate was sealed once our mother found out she was pregnant.”

“That’s…really cool.” Chanyeol responded.

“Is your knight story different?” Minseok asked.

Jongdae looked over at him, “Yes. My parents weren’t knights, but hunters. They lead hunting parties for the kingdom and one day…they didn’t return. The queen told me it was because of a bear.”

“I’m sorry.” Minseok told him sincerely.

Jongdae sent him a small smile, “It’s alright, really. It happened when I was still just a baby. So, the king and queen felt that it would be best to raise me. So, I grew up with Baekhyun in the palace. Once my parents passed away, it was decided that I would become the prince’s knight.”

Jongin gave him a half smile. It was interesting to know that they each had their own story. Their own personal feelings and were so human…just as he was.

“How about you?” Jongin asked as his eyes darted to Chanyeol.

Chanyeol’s eyes widened, “Me?”

Jongin laughed, he couldn’t understand how the latter could be surprised. They were all talking about their stories, it was only obvious he was next. “Yes you.”

Chanyeol let out a small laugh. “I don’t remember my parents or my family. I was very young when the hunters of Solaris found me. I just remember getting rescued by them and being brought into the palace. The king and queen raised me in the palace with Jongdae and Baekhyun.”

“Chanyeol came in the palace when we were about the age of four. I was simply told he would be my knight and new brother.” Baekhyun added.

Kyungsoo laughed, “That’s what they told me too! My parents said that my knights are my brothers and best friends.”

The six of them all let out a laugh as they reminisced about past memories. It was strange to see how much they had in common.

“I remember as kids, we snuck out to the secret clearing a lot.” Minseok said in between laughs.

Chanyeol’s mouth opened, “We did too!”

“It was better than having to stay in to do our dumb meditation classes.” Jongin said with a pout.

Jongdae’s mouth dropped, “You do those too?”

Kyungsoo nodded, “Yeah, all three of us had to follow our teacher and we would sit for long periods of time under the moon. Apparently it would help give us insight about how to grow properly. But, they were very boring.”

Baekhyun howled in laughter, “The same for us! Only we got up early in the morning to be under the sun. I would fall asleep sometimes and get scolded.”

Jongin smiled wide, “Me too!” It was becoming apparent that maybe…Solarians weren’t so bad. They actually seemed alright.

Baekhyun’s eyes looked behind the Monalets and they suddenly widened, “Look!” He yelled out as he pointed behind them. Their eyes all darted towards whatever Baekhyun was pointing at.

Once the Monalets saw what was happening in the lake, their eyes practically bulged out of their sockets. Their mouths dropped as they gawked at the phenomenon in front of them. In the further part of the lake, the water was shooting up into the clouds and spinning at a very fast speed. It was nothing like they had ever seen before. It seemed as though the water was being shot up into the sky at a rapid pace.

As quickly as it appeared, it disappeared. The water dispersed and fell back into the lake, making small splashes as it landed.

The Monalets were still in disbelief over what they had just witnessed. They had never seen anything like it and they couldn’t believe something so beautiful actually existed.

“What did you think?” Baekhyun asked in a small whisper.

Kyungsoo turned around to face him. His eyes shined and Baekhyun felt a small smile arising on his lips.

“It was amazing.” The Monalet prince responded.

Baekhyun beamed as a grin came onto his lips, “I knew you would like it.”

Kyungsoo smiled that heart shaped smile. Baekhyun never thought that such a pretty smile existed in the world.

“I loved it!” He exclaimed.

“It was shooting up in the sky!” Jongin yelled out. “How does that even happen? Is it the Moon God?”

Minseok shrugged, “Who knows? But, it was amazing!”

Chanyeol looked over at the younger knight that was radiating joy. He was looking down at Kyungsoo as happily spoke about the phenomenon. Chanyeol couldn’t help the thought that appeared in his head, just like the thought that appeared the first time he had seen him in the clearing. The Monalet knight was very attractive looking, yet held an innocent aura about him sometimes, much like now.

Kyungsoo nodded at everything Jongin told him, much like how a parent would acknowledge their child when they speak about something excitedly.

Minseok suddenly burst behind Jongin and yelled out happily, “That was amazing!”

Kyungsoo laughed at Minseok’s excited expression and looked over at Baekhyun who was staring at Minseok.

The Monalet prince stood up, “Baekhyun,” He began. The Solaris prince looked over at him. “Thank you, it’s about time I keep my part of the deal.”

Baekhyun nodded happily and stood up. He pulled out his bow, “I’m ready.”

Kyungsoo nodded and lead him a little further away from the knights, “This is fine.” He said as he stopped.

***

The rest of their time together consisted of helping Baekhyun with his training. The Solaris knights watched curiously as Baekhyun improved steadily. He seemed much more confident than he had before and he was even smiling throughout the session.

The Monalet knights also watched as Kyungsoo guided the Solaris prince with gentle words and instruction. Kyungsoo seemed to have a natural soothing manner about him. Baekhyun seemed to feel comfortable around Kyungsoo and anyone could see that he trusted the Monalet prince very much.

The knights all agreed that they weren’t sure if this could be potentially dangerous. But, at the same time, they supposed it could be alright. As long as they kept this secret within themselves, then there could be no harm done to anyone.


	15. The Secret Scrolls

_Throughout that entire season, we met every other day, just as Baekhyun told us we would. Many sunsets passed and as time grew on, I noticed a shift in my distaste for Monalets. Although I would never admit it at the time, I slowly began to see the trio as my friends._

_I didn’t think much about it. I simply believed that we would stop seeing them eventually. Baekhyun was improving quickly in his archery skills with the help of the Monalet prince and he was becoming a natural._

_I didn’t realize it at the time, but all of those times of having us meet up was causing things to me and Chanyeol._

_I was beginning to warm up to them and didn’t notice.  
We didn’t understand that was the beginning of the end. _

_If I would have known what was to happen, then I would have tried to put a stop to it. But alas, I cannot predict the future and I cannot rewrite the past. What’s done is done and although I hate to admit it, I am glad I came out alive._

_However, I cannot help but think that even if I did try to do something, Baekhyun would not have listened. Every meeting, Baekhyun seemed to grow more and more enticed to the Monalet prince. Until eventually it was too late to put a stop to it. Baekhyun and Chanyeol’s fate was sealed once they met…_

_the Monalet prince and his youngest knight._


	16. Chapter 16

“Kyungsoo, are you sure that you are not mistaken?” The king asked as he rubbed his temples.

The prince nodded as he sat in front of his father. His knights stood next to him, while the queen sat next to her husband.

“I am positive father. There is something wrong with the watering hole on the Eastern side of the kingdom. This is why the crops have been dying. My knights and I conducted an experiment and the results show that plants die when using that water.”

The king heaved a sigh, “Do you know why? Is it safe for humans to drink?”

Kyungsoo twisted his mouth to the side, “Unfortunately, I do not have the answer to either of those questions. I hope to study the water to find out, but for now, I believe the watering hole from the Eastern side should be banned. No one is allowed near it until we find out what is going on.”

“We need to find out what is going on. We can’t risk this spreading.” The queen added.

“Luckily, it is a small watering hole and not our main supply for water.” The king said as he looked down at the floor. His eyes went up to look at Kyungsoo. “You are assigned a new assignment. You must figure out what contaminated the water. It is easy to simply abandon that watering hole since we hardly use it. But, it is important to know what caused it so that we can avoid it in the future.”

Kyungsoo bowed all the way to the floor as his hands went down with him, “Yes sir.” He responded as he picked his head up.

“Use whatever resource you may need. Your mother and I will be working on the preparations for the Moon festival if you need us.”

The Moon festival was fast approaching. It seemed to have slipped the prince’s mind. He was too busy thinking about the crops as well as…other matters. Those other matters consisted of meeting up with the Solaris prince. He loved being able to see him, he was actually going to see him later today at the clearing.

“Please Kyungsoo, we know you have been working very hard, but it is alright to relax once in a while.” The queen told him.

Kyungsoo nodded slowly, “Yes mother.”

“Son, have you decided who you’re going to take to the festival?” The king asked. His parents hadn’t been asking him about it because they had been too occupied, as was he. But, now he knew they were going to be pestering him about it. This year, he was considered the perfect age to be courting someone. If a couple came to the moon festival, it was said they would have eternal love because of the Moon God’s blessing.

Kyungsoo looked away and shook his head, “No. I have been too busy.”

“There is one princess who has had her eye on you for a while Kyungsoo.” The queen quickly added.

Kyungsoo winced and stood up, “I believe it is time I go work on the case of the watering hole.”

The queen giggled, “Kyungsoo, if you continue being this shy, you will never have anyone to take to the festival.”

Kyungsoo twisted his mouth to the side. He was fine the way he was. He had great friends and a person he cared for very much that was nothing but kind. He didn’t need anyone to bring to the festival, he was content with the way he was.

He bowed, “I shall take my leave. My knights and I will first take out horses out so we may clear our heads before beginning our investigation.”

The king scoffed, “Enjoy yourself Kyungsoo.”

Kyungsoo smiled wide. He would enjoy himself very much. He knew where he and his knights would be headed. The trio walked outside and made their way towards the stable.

“I’m going to challenge Chanyeol again.” Jongin stated. The latter had a swords fight with the knight the last time they saw each other and had lost. He was still upset about it.

“So you can lose again?” Minseok teased.

Jongin shook his head, “I’m winning this time.” He responded.

Kyungsoo scoffed as he opened the door to the stable, “Why must you always squabble with him? It seems to be a rivalry with you two always.”

“What seems to be a rivalry?”

The trio’s eyes widened as they turned their heads. Taemin was in the stable petting his horse by the snout. They didn’t even notice he was in there.

“Uh…nothing.” Kyungsoo answered.

Taemin smirked, “I’m Jongin’s number one rival.” He teased.

“Err…yeah…we were speaking about you.” Jongin answered.

Taemin beamed at them, “Where are you headed out too?”

Minseok shrugged, “Just going to take a small ride up the canyon. Nothing big.”

Kyungsoo nodded, “Just to clear our heads.”

“Oh! May I accompany you? It seems to be a slow day in the kingdom today.”

At this, they visibly flinched. They didn’t expect Taemin to want to come along. Normally, they wouldn’t mind at all. But this was different. Kyungsoo couldn’t risk bringing Taemin and having any harm come to Baekhyun.

“Sorry Taemin.” Minseok replied. “I need you to stay here and watch over the younger knights.”

“But…they are training on their own today.”

“I know…but, what if they hurt themselves or begin to argue?”

Taemin pouted, “I suppose…”

Jongin hopped onto his horse, “Maybe next time. We can get together and do something.”

Taemin looked as each one got onto their horse, “I hardly see you anymore. If you aren’t at the den, then no one knows where you go. You seem to disappear a lot lately.”

“That’s not true.” Jongin interjected. “You see us at meal times.”

Taemin raised an eyebrow, “Yeah, but that’s it. We used to hang out all of the time Jongin. It seems someone else has your attention.”

Jongin let out a laugh, “Don’t be ridiculous! We’ll see you when we get back.”

The trio left quickly, making their horses run at an insanely fast speed.

***

“Chanyeol, hurry up.” Baekhyun told him with a pout. The knight was deciding what sword he should take today for the duel with Jongin.

“I need the perfect sword, I wish to show off to him.” Chanyeol said as he eyed two swords.

Jongdae smirked, “They’re probably getting tired of waiting. You don’t want to be rude like a Monalet do you?”

Baekhyun chuckled at the joke. Each time they met up with the Monalets, his knights grew to like them more and more. Baekhyun also had to admit, he has grown to really appreciate Kyungsoo. He cherished their friendship and wanted nothing more than for them to last forever. The Monalet prince had become one of Baekhyun’s most cherished friends. He couldn’t wait to see him again.

“Meanwhile, we can assemble the horses.” Baekhyun said.

Jongdae nodded, “Good idea. Chanyeol is still going to be a while.”

Baekhyun snickered at him, “Race you!” He hollered as he ran out of the weaponry room.”

Jongdae ran behind him as he laughed.

Baekhyun ran so fast he didn’t notice his father was walking towards him until he had already ran away.

“Baekhyun!” His father called out sternly.

Baekhyun and Jongdae stopped in their tracks and turned towards the voice. The king was eyeing Baekhyun with an intense gaze. Baekhyun knew it meant that he was about to get scolded. The prince gulped and walked over to him.

Jongdae bowed his head in a 90 degree angle towards the king. He straightened up and remained where he was. He saw as Baekhyun made his way towards his father. The king seemed upset about something.

“Yes?” Baekhyun asked once he was right in front of him.

The king’s eyes narrowed, “What were you doing?”

The prince gulped, “I was running to the stable to fetch my horse.”

The king scoffed, “Where are you going?”

“I am going on a ride with Jongdae and Chanyeol.”

The king shook his head, “Baekhyun, it’s about time you begin to think about your future.”

Baekhyun stared at his father, unsure of what to say.

“You do understand that you are the perfect age to be courting someone, correct?”

Baekhyun’s eyes widened and he looked away. “Father…please, not now.”

“Have you thought about who you will be bringing to the Solaris masquerade ball?”

Baekhyun let out a small gasp. That masquerade ball had completely slipped his mind. The ball was a celebration that they did every year. It was a way to celebrate the wonderful life that the Sun Goddess had bestowed upon them. There was food and dancing inside the palace. Everyone in the kingdom is invited and encouraged to bring some kind of partner with them. It was alright to come in groups or with friends. Baekhyun had always attended the ball with Jongdae and Chanyeol. He had completely forgotten about it until now.

“You forgot?”

Baekhyun looked over at him, “I have been busy concerning myself with the villagers. I also observe you and mother so I may learn what to do when I become king. And I have been practicing my archery skills to make you proud.”

“But, you have yet to even search for another royal outside of our kingdom! You can’t be king without marrying a royal. What is the point of training if you can’t even find another royal to bring to the ball?!”

Baekhyun gulped and put his head down, “My apologies.”

“You need to stop focusing on your friends and find yourself someone to court. It would be amazing if I could see you with someone at the ball. But you are too busy playing with your knights in your free time.”

Baekhyun didn’t dare look up. He knew the face his father was giving him. His eyes were probably glaring at him as his eyebrows furrowed downwards in a frown.

The king sighed and turned around, “Think about what I told you Baekhyun.” He walked away, leaving Baekhyun with his head to the ground. Why did he have to bring someone to the ball anyway? And why did it matter to his father anyway? It was his business! He tightened his fists and looked up at his father’s retreating form. He wished his father could just be proud of him. That he could see that Baekhyun was doing his best to please him. Kyungsoo’s smiling face suddenly crossed his mind. Yes…Kyungsoo…he made everything better. The Monalet prince could make all of the negativity he was feeling inside simply melt away.

Jongdae slowly approached Baekhyun and placed his hand on his shoulder, “Hey…Baekhyun, don’t take your dad’s words too seriously. He was probably having an off day. I think you’ll make an amazing king one day.”

Baekhyun looked over his shoulder to look at Jongdae’s hand. A small smile grew on his face and he turned around to face the knight. “Don’t worry Jongdae, I’m fine. Let’s get our horses!” He replied brightly. 

***

The Monalets arrived at the clearing before the Solarians arrived.

“Perfect!” Jongin exclaimed as he took out his sword.

Minseok chuckled, “What are you doing?”

Jongin began doing warm ups as he swung the sword around. “I will not to lose to that guy again. My reputation depends on this match.”

Kyungsoo laughed as he sat by the tree in the center. Jongin had insisted that instead of venturing out today, they simply stay in the clearing. He needed a rematch to make up for the fact that he had lost last time. All of them agreed, Chanyeol was more than eager to accept the challenge. “Whatever the spoiled brat wants.” He had responded. Jongin sent him a scowl and pout.

Minseok was behind Jongin as the latter did his warm ups. “Try holding it a little tighter this time. I think you lost last time because you made a small slip up.”

Jongin nodded as he continued practicing.

Minseok couldn’t help the smile that spread across his face. Jongin had grown up so fast. He didn’t realize how much so until now.

A rustle was heard by the entrance and all three pairs of eyes went towards the sound. The three Solarians were coming in one by one. Jongdae came in first, bright smile on his face as always. He shook his head a bit as dirt flew out of his hair. “I think the hole is getting smaller.” He said.

Minseok scoffed, “Or perhaps you are gaining weight.”

Jongdae shook his head, “No, I exercise regularly.”

Chanyeol and Baekhyun stood behind him, dusting themselves off.

“Ah Chanyeol.” Jongin declared as he straightened up. “You owe me a duel.”

Chanyeol smirked at him. “I do, yes.” He walked over to the younger, “I am ready to see your angry face again after you lose.”

“Ha! I simply went easy on you last time.” He pointed his sword to the Solaris knight. “Victory shall be mine this time.”

Baekhyun giggled as he plopped next to Kyungsoo, “Have you been here long?” He asked.

Kyungsoo shook his head, “Not really. I had other matters to attend to today.”

Baekhyun nodded, “I see. I was a little late because my father had a word with me.”

Kyungsoo looked over at him, “Really? Mine too.”

Baekhyun smiled at him, “We may have had very similar days then.”

“What was your talk about?” Kyungsoo asked.

Baekhyun bit his bottom lip and looked away. Kyungsoo tilted his head to the side as his body began to subconsciously face Baekhyun. “Baekhyun? Is everything alright?”

Baekhyun let out a small sigh. “Well…yes. I’m fine…I just…”

“You may commence the fight!” Jongdae and Minseok said in unison as they refereed the fight going on.

Kyungsoo didn’t bother looking at it and instead kept his eyes fixated on Baekhyun. “Baekhyun, what’s wrong?” He asked.

Baekhyun looked down at his hands as his fingers twiddled around. “It’s just…I feel I’m disappointing my father.”

Kyungsoo raised an eyebrow. “What makes you say that?”

Baekhyun let out another sigh, “I’m scared of becoming king, okay? And I know that I am supposed to do it one day but,” Baekhyun trailed off as he looked ahead. “It’s scary. What if I’m not good? Not only that, but my dad thinks I spend all of my free time just playing around. I think he wants a son that is skilled at everything already. I have so many fears…” Baekhyun looked over at Kyungsoo and gave him a weak smile. “I wish I could be a little more like you.”

Kyungsoo was taken aback by this and threw his head back a little, “Me?”

Baekhyun nodded, “You are always so confident in everything you do. You know how to fight and still so humble. You have all of the qualities of a great king.”

Kyungsoo shook his head slowly, “You are an amazing leader too Baekhyun. You are kind and always see the good in everyone. You are able to make everyone feel at ease around you and you are so eager to learn new things. I didn’t even know the geography of the land around my kingdom! You are not afraid to learn something new and that is an amazing quality in a leader.”

Baekhyun sent him a small smile. Kyungsoo was probably one of the nicest people he had ever had the pleasure of meeting. “Thank you. But, you have no fears. I wish I was as fearless as you.”

Kyungsoo gulped and looked down at the grass beneath them. “Who told you I have no fears?”

Baekhyun stared intently at the latter. Surely Kyungsoo didn’t have any fears, even the mere thought was preposterous. But, what if Baekhyun was too quick to judge?

“Do you?”

Kyungsoo looked up at him, “Of course. There has been something I fear for a while now. I am terrified in failing in it.”

Now, it was Baekhyun’s turn to listen. “What is it?” He asked.

Kyungsoo let out a small sigh and looked ahead at the duel between Chanyeol and Jongin. Minseok and Jongdae were circling around it as they hollered out cheers. The knights seemed to be enjoying themselves with bright smiles on their faces.

“The crops on the Eastern side of the kingdom were dying. So, we investigated why it was happening. It turns out that the watering hole used to water them is contaminated.”

“Are the crops a big source of food for your kingdom?”

“Well…it only makes up 25% of our kingdoms crops, therefore, it isn’t such a big deal.”

“And the watering hole?” Baekhyun asked.

Kyungsoo chuckled, “We got lucky. That watering hole is only used for the crops on the Eastern side. No other crops are watered by it and it is not used as a water source for our people.”

Baekhyun nodded, “Well…that’s good, right?”

Kyungsoo nodded, “Yes…but my father assigned me the mission of figuring out why it has happened. I fear failing him and being unable to find the reason. And if I don’t find out the reason, then it may spread to our other water sources. There is so much pressure if I fail…I could kill off our entire kingdom if I am not careful.” Kyungsoo looked down at his hands and let out soft breaths as he thought.

Baekhyun put his hand on top of Kyungsoo’s tensed up ones, “Kyungsoo, relax and breathe. I know you are doing your best and I have faith that you can accomplish whatever you set your mind to.”

Kyungsoo looked at Baekhyun’s hand and then up at him. The Solaris prince was practically glowing, he really was a ball of sunshine.

“I know you will figure out what is going on and don’t forget that you can count on me for anything.”

The Solaris prince closed his eyes and let himself lay on Kyungsoo’s shoulder. Kyungsoo was a little shocked at the gesture, but he didn’t mind it.

“I promise to be here no matter what.” Baekhyun whispered.

Kyungsoo looked down at the prince. He was able to make anyone feel comfortable no matter what. He was so thankful to have been able to meet him. The Monalet prince wrapped his arm around Baekhyun and gave him a gentle squeeze on the shoulder.

“Thank you.” He replied. “And remember that I am here for whatever you may need.”

Baekhyun giggled, “I’ll remember that.” It was nice like this. It felt euphoric having Kyungsoo like this. Baekhyun felt a serene bliss arising in his chest and Kyungsoo felt a smile go across his own lips as he looked down at Baekhyun.

***

Kyungsoo rode home with a triumphant grin on Jongin’s face. The knight had won the duel and had done nothing but show off the entire time.

He wasn’t ready to leave the clearing yet, but they couldn’t risk others getting suspicious and coming out to look for them.

“When can I see you again?” Baekhyun asked as he began to straighten up from his position.

“Every other day, just like we had said.” Kyungsoo responded.

Baekhyun pouted, “I suppose that is the smart thing to do.”

Of course, Kyungsoo wouldn’t mind seeing him more often. But again, they couldn’t take that chance. He had a lot of worries already, acquiring a new one about someone getting suspicious is something he would like to avoid.

They arrived in the kingdom fairly quickly and headed over to the stable.

“Today was fun.” Jongin exclaimed as he put his horse in the stable. “Wasn’t it Monggu?” He told his horse as he cuddled it.

Minseok laughed and placed hay in front of his own horse. “You’re only saying that because you won. If you had lost, then you would have a very different perspective.”

Jongin laughed, “I’m amazing.” He replied.

Kyungsoo let out a howl of laughter, “You’re obnoxious!”

They teased each other as they walked out of the stable, but a familiar face had them clamming up immediately.

“Your majesty!” The head knight called out to them as he got closer to them.

The trio’s smile faded and they quickly straightened up.

The head knight stood in front of Kyungsoo and smiled wide, “I hear that you have realized the reason behind the crops dying.”

Kyungsoo gave him a slight nod, “That is correct.”

“I would have never believed it was because of the water.” He responded.

Kyungsoo wet his bottom lip, “Yes…how did you know?”

“Your father made an announcement shortly after you left. He announced to the whole kingdom how everyone is forbidden to go by the watering hole and den unless authorized by you.”

Kyungsoo twisted his mouth, “Yes.”

“Perhaps I may be of assistance now? I will gladly assist you in anything you may need.”

Kyungsoo sent him a forced smile, “I will keep that in mind.”

“Perhaps…may I accompany you to the den?”

Kyungsoo shook his head, “No need. If I require you in any way, I promise to let you know.”

“Your highness…I just wish to see the progress and—“

“My word is final.” Kyungsoo interrupted. “Please do not insist. I have grown rather bored of listening to your begging.”

The head knight shut his mouth tight as he stared at Kyungsoo. He seemed furious, but Kyungsoo could care less.

“Actually, with all due respect…” Minseok cut in, “We have other matters to attend to. So if you could please excuse us.”

The head knight gave them a small bow and the trio made their way towards the den. The head knight glared at the back of them and let out a sigh of frustration. He would soon find out what Kyungsoo knew, after all, the Monalet prince was the key to everything.

***

Kyungsoo arrived to his room sometime in the evening. He felt exhausted and bid goodnight to his knights who also decided to sleep early. He shut his door and turned around to face his room. The white pigeon sat on his window staring at him.

The prince smiled wide as he gestured for it to fly closer to him. The pigeon quickly obeyed and flew to Kyungsoo’s arm and perched itself on it. Kyungsoo removed the satchel and placed his arm gently on the bed so that the pigeon could rest on it.

He opened the satchel to see the scroll inside. He unraveled it and read it right away:

_Kyungsoo,_

_I suppose when you get this, the sun will be setting. But I couldn’t help myself, I needed to write you something. I wish to thank you for comforting me earlier today. I am truly blessed to know you. I seem to think of you a lot lately, but that is not strange right? I notice that you pop into my head at the randomest of times. I cannot wait until the day I see you again. A day without you is the worst feeling of them all._

_-Baekhyun_

_***_

The Solaris prince lay in bed comfortably as he stared out the window. He was hoping that maybe…Kyungsoo would reply to him, but he knew he shouldn’t be expecting much. It was late now and he should be sleeping instead. He let out a sigh and shut his eyes instead.

He felt as something blew on his face and suddenly perch itself on his hand. He opened his eyes wide and saw as the white pigeon snuggled on him. He let out a sigh of relief as he realized it was only the bird. His heart began to race when he processed that there was a message inside of the satchel.

He smiled and quickly removed it to pull out the scroll from inside:

_Baekhyun,_

_I don’t think that’s’ weird at all. You seem to cross my mind all of the time as well. I don’t control my thoughts, you simply appear in them. There is no need to thank me for being there for you. I wish to be there for you whenever you need me. I know when this scroll reaches you, it will be late at night. Therefore, I would like to wish you a goodnight and sweet dreams with the angels…for that is what you are._

_-Kyungsoo_

Baekhyun’s heart did flips as he reread the scroll over and over again. He let out a small sigh and licked his lips as a smile embroidered his lips. He was a very lucky person. He rolled over to his side and slowly drifted off to sleep.


	17. Chapter 17

“How much further?” Jongdae asked.

“Not much!” Minseok yelled back enthusiastically.

Today, the tables had turned. The Monalets wanted to show the Solarians a place they had visited as children dozens of times. They met in the secret clearing as usual and they had insisted that they show them.

The Solarians felt as though they had been walking upwards for what felt like seasons already, they were all sweating profusely.

“Is this a trap?” Chanyeol asked mockingly.

Jongin giggled at him, “Almost there, I promise.”

Chanyeol laughed at how cute the younger sounded and ran up to catch him. Jongin heard the footsteps and quickly ran upwards. Jongdae and Minseok laughed as they ran after the both of them.

Baekhyun let out a sigh as he put his head down. He was so tired from yesterday’s training. His father had made him show off his archery and swordsmanship skills. Not only that, but he was forced to run around the battlefield to set an example for the knights in training. According to the king, it was so that the knights could see just how much their prince could endure so that they could learn how much they should train. But Baekhyun thinks it was punishment for not finding someone to bring to the Solaris ball.

He heard a small chuckle and his eyes darted up. Kyungsoo was standing next to him, smiling. He extended his hand, “Sorry, it’s not too far now.”

Baekhyun smiled back at him as he placed his hand in Kyungsoo’s. “I’m just a bit tired from yesterday. My father had me do training.”

“Oh?”

Baekhyun nodded, “But, I’m fine. Don’t worry.”

Kyungsoo scoffed and leaned down a bit before placing a small kiss on Baekhyun’s hand. His eyes looked up slowly as he straightened up, smile never leaving his face. “Whatever my majesty says.”

Baekhyun felt a slight blush, that wasn’t supposed to happen, begin to appear on his cheeks. He let out a laugh of embarrassment and gave Kyungsoo’s hand a small squeeze as he threw both their hands down, “Stop!”

Kyungsoo raised an eyebrow at him and smirked, “Come on.” He responded as he pulled him along.

Baekhyun followed him, arriving at the very top of the hill. At the very top was a small lake. It was not something that he would have suspected would have been all the way up there. “Wow…how long has this been up here?” Baekhyun asked as he got closer.

Kyungsoo shrugged, “Who knows. It was already here when we found it as kids.”

“We go swimming in it.” Minseok hollered out.

Baekhyun looked over at him. The latter was already removing his clothing. The Solaris prince laughed, “What?”

Minseok was quickly undressed and ran to climb the tree next to the lake.

“What is he doing?” Baekhyun asked, seeing Minseok as he climbed to the very top of the tree.

“He’s going to jump into the water.” Kyungsoo answered.

Baekhyun looked over at him, “He’s what?”

As if on cue, there was a splash and Baekhyun’s head turned. Minseok’s head sprung out of the water and he shook it. The Solaris prince never wanted to learn to swim…but now…he wishes he could have learned.

Jongin nudged Chanyeol and Jongdae, “Come in the water.” He encouraged.

Jongdae looked over at him, “But…we can’t swim.”

“We’ll teach you!” Minseok yelled out. “We can be on the edge and we can hold you as you come with us to the center.”

Jongdae tilted his head to the side, “I don’t know…”

Jongin smiled at him, “Minseok wouldn’t let anything happen to you. I promise.”

Jongdae looked over at the eldest knight who was smiling at them. Jongdae sighed as he began getting undressed, “You win.”

Jongin grinned triumphantly and began to remove his clothing too. Chanyeol was looking at him until he felt his cheeks go a slight pink and his eyes widen. He looked away, visibly embarrassed. Jongin was a guy…just like everyone else here. He didn’t care when Minseok got naked, why was he suddenly feeling so shy?

“You get naked too.” Jongin told him.

“Err…yeah…” He began to remove his own clothing slowly.

Baekhyun laughed and leaned into Kyungsoo, “Are you getting in the water?”

Kyungsoo nodded, “Of course, you’re coming too right?”

“I can’t swim though.”

Kyungsoo shrugged, “Yeah, so? It’s like Minseok said, I won’t let anything happen to you.”

Baekhyun felt a smile embroider his lips and nodded, “Alright. I’ll go in with you.”

Kyungsoo nodded and his hands began to get himself undressed.

Baekhyun’s eyes widened, “What are you doing?”

“About to get in the water. You don’t want to get your clothes wet, do you?”

“Err…no, of course not.” Baekhyun turned around and began to undress himself. There was no reason to feel embarrassed. It was just Kyungsoo after all.

Kyungsoo quickly took off his clothes and looked up at Baekhyun who was going a bit slower. He saw as the robe fell off the latter’s shoulders and Kyungsoo suddenly felt a bit shy, his ears going a bit pink. The robe fell down even more, revealing Baekhyun’s back. The garment had been hiding smooth and creamy skin. Kyungsoo looked away immediately. What was he doing? Baekhyun was his friend! He can’t be having such strange thoughts! Much less be feeling such strange emotions!

“Alright.” Baekhyun responded. “Let’s go.”

Kyungsoo couldn’t bear to look at him, for some reason he had suddenly gotten so nervous. He instead looked over just enough to see Baekhyun’s hand and grabbed it. Kyungsoo looked ahead and headed towards the water. He began to run and Baekhyun kept up with him. He got into the water until eventually, it reached up to his stomach.

“Kyungsoo! It’s freezing!” The Solaris prince pulled his hand away.

Kyungsoo turned to face him and saw him hugging himself.  He couldn’t help but let out a loud laugh. “It’s not too bad.”

Baekhyun had to disagree, but he understood that Monalets loved water. He looked behind Kyungsoo and saw as Chanyeol nervously took steps further into the center. Jongin was holding both his arms as he encouraged him. Minseok held Jongdae as the latter tried making himself float. He was also encouraging him with smiles as the younger knight put his full trust in him.

“You know…like this…you can’t tell who is a Solarian or Monalet.”

Kyungsoo tilted his head to the side, “What do you mean?”

Baekhyun looked back at him, “Well…if a stranger walked by right now. He would never know that we were Solarians or Monalets. Like this, we’re all just friends that are having fun together. The only thing that distinguishes us is those emblems we have on our clothing.”

Kyungsoo looked over at what Baekhyun was looking at. He realized that the prince had a point. They all looked the same. They were all simply six guys, nothing more.  “Wouldn’t it be great if our kingdoms got along?”

Baekhyun nodded in agreement, “Of course it would. But we can’t change what our ancestors did.”

Kyungsoo sighed, “Yes…in school we were taught that we used to get along.”

“Us too. But, Monalets decided to betray us.”

Kyungsoo blinked and looked over at him, “No…we learned that Solarians began to treat our people with nothing but disrespect, leading us to part ways with them.”

Baekhyun looked over at him, “Solarians?”

Kyungsoo nodded, “Yes.”

They heard a splash as Jongdae fell in the water and Minseok pulled him up. Jongdae stood on his feet and let out big breaths, Minseok patted his back, “You did great!”

Jongdae shook his head “You think?”

Minseok nodded, “Of course.”

Baekhyun smiled and took a step forward but stopped. He realized that he couldn’t swim and that he wasn’t sure if he could go further. What if he sunk in?

“You want to go further?” Kyungsoo asked.

Baekhyun looked over at him and gave a small smile as he nodded.

Kyungsoo held his hand out, “Let’s go with them. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

The Solaris prince looked down at the hand and eagerly grabbed onto it. Kyungsoo squeezed tight, “If you get scared, tell me, alright?”

Baekhyun nodded and followed Kyungsoo’s lead. He saw as the water began to rise, reaching the younger’s chest and ultimately going up to their neck. He took a step back and Kyungsoo turned around as he felt the slight tug.

Baekhyun’s eyes held fear in them. “Let’s go around?”

Kyungsoo smiled at him, “We’re almost to them. And I promise, the water doesn’t get any higher.”

Baekhyun bit his bottom lip, Kyungsoo gripped onto Baekhyun’s hand tighter in reassurance. “I already promised to never let anything happen to you.”

Baekhyun let out a small sigh and nodded. They walked a little more and much to Baekhyun’s surprise, it wasn’t as deep as before. He began to pick up speed once he was confident that the water wouldn’t be any deeper. He bit his tongue as he smiled wide and ran ahead.

“Baekhyun wait!” Kyungsoo yelled, but Baekhyun suddenly let out a squeal as he slipped on one of the rocks. He landed face first in the water, but luckily, Kyungsoo had been holding his hand tight. The Monalet prince pulled him up quickly. Baekhyun opened his mouth as he gasped for air. He used his hands to wipe the excess water off of his face.

Kyungsoo let out a chuckle, “Please, let me lead. This is my area of expertise.”

Baekhyun nodded as he rubbed his eyes.

The four others ran next to them.

“Nice face plank Baekhyun.” Chanyeol teased.

Baekhyun sent a scowl his way. Jongin laughed and face planked to tease him more. It made a big splash and the six of them erupted in laughter.

“Do you guys ever get to be in the water?” Minseok asked

Jongdae shook his head, “No. We really only drink water and bathe in it.”

“We believe more so in the power of the earth, not really the water.” Chanyeol replied.

“We learned about that as kids. Solarians worship the earth and the sun…err the Goddess.” Jongin added.

Chanyeol chuckled, “Basically.” He shrugged.

“Do you guys remember the classes we took as kids? The ones that taught us how Solarians and Monalets used to get along?” Kyungsoo asked as he looked over at his knights.

They looked over at him and looked up at the sky as they began to ponder.

“I…think I do…” Minseok answered. “Solarians began to be rude to us, right?”

“That’s how I remember it too.” Jongin replied.

Jongdae raised an eyebrow, “Excuse me, but if I recall correctly, Monalets betrayed us and that’s why the friendship was ruined.”

“Yes, that’s how it went.” Chanyeol agreed.

Baekhyun hummed as he thought, he remembers it that way as well.

“It seems we were both taught very differently.” Kyungsoo spoke up.

It was silent for a bit as they all tried their best to remember what they were told as children.

“I wonder what happened…”  Jongin suddenly spoke up.

“There was a fight, some kind of disagreement.” Minseok answered.

“Yes, but what was it about? How bad could it have been that it cut off ties?”

“And why must we pay the price for it?” Jongdae asked.

They all looked at him and he suddenly grew embarrassed at his sudden outburst.

“What I meant was,” Jongdae explained, “We are taught to hate each other. For something our ancestors had an argument about?”

Chanyeol scoffed, “Sounds petty when you say it like that.”

“You think the answer is in the archives at Monalet?” Minseok asked.

Kyungsoo shrugged, “Maybe.”

Baekhyun’s face suddenly beamed, “Maybe we can find something about it too! In the archives at Solaris!”

His knights looked over at him, “Maybe…but what would that do?” Jongdae asked.

“Curiosity satisfaction mostly. But who knows? We are a new generation. Maybe we can show them how stupid they are for thinking this way.” Baekhyun responded.

It grew silent again as Baekhyun’s words sunk in. It would be nice if they didn’t have to hide so much. If they could just be honest to everyone about their friendship instead of hiding in the shadows all of the time, that would be the best feeling in the world.

***

They continued to have fun for a bit more. Until, it was time for them to begin wrapping up their amusement.

“We should get out of the water.” Jongdae commented as he looked at his wrinkled hands.

Kyungsoo chuckled, “I agree. It’s time we get ready to part ways.”

Baekhyun pouted. Why must their fun always be interrupted? It simply wasn’t fair.

“Are you going to do one last jump off of the tree?” Minseok asked, an encouraging tone to his voice.

Jongin looked over at him, “Are you?”

Minseok shrugged, “If you do it, I’ll do it.”

Jongin nodded vigorously, “Of course!” He eyed Kyungsoo, “How about you?”

The prince shook his head, “No thank you.” He responded as he got out of the water. “I wish to get dressed already.”

Jongin stuck his tongue out at him, “You’re just afraid.”

Kyungsoo shrugged as he dried himself off, “Think what you want.”

“Do you think if we jump, we could float back up?” Jongdae asked.

The knights looked over at Jongdae and Chanyeol.

“You taught us how to float, do you think we could?” Chanyeol asked, just as eager.

“Um…well…I would wait just a bit.” Minseok replied.

“But, if you feel confident you could float back up, then jump! Once you float up we can help take you right back to shore!” Jongin replied eagerly.

The four of them quickly ran out of the water, running to the tree. Baekhyun shook his head and Kyungsoo came over after he had just gotten dressed. “Did you bring a towel?”

Baekhyun looked up at him, “Maybe if you would have told me where we were going, then I would have.” The Solaris prince climbed out of the small lake and Kyungsoo quickly wrapped Baekhyun in one.

Baekhyun smirked at him, “So chivalrous.”

Kyungsoo chuckled, “I try.”

They walked over to where the clothes were and Baekhyun dried himself off. Kyungsoo sat down on a rock that was next to them.

Baekhyun placed his undergarments and trousers on first. Then placed his robe over his head. He sat next to Kyungsoo, hair still very wet.

Kyungsoo looked him over and got a smaller towel. He proceeded to place it atop Baekhyun’s head. Baekhyun let out a giggle and peeked out of it. He dried off his hair and then threw the wet towel onto the Monalet’s prince’s head. Kyungsoo shook his head and saw as it fell to the grass below.

Kyungsoo playfully scowled at him, “You’re lucky.”

Baekhyun giggled, “Lucky?”

A sudden scream had them looking towards the tree. Minseok was shouting as he landed in the water below, making a big splash. Jongin quickly followed behind him, jumping as high as he could and flailing his arms in the air.

Minseok swam out of the way, making room for the latter. Once he landed, his head sprung out and he laughed. They all looked up, “Jongdae!” Jongin yelled.

Jongdae and Chanyeol were standing up on the tree. They were looking down at the water below, wondering if perhaps, they had been a little over their heads on this one.

“Was this a good idea?” Jongdae asked as he looked below. He was the next to jump.

“Just close your eyes and do it.” Chanyeol encouraged. “And float up like how they taught us.”

Jongdae took a deep breath and shut his eyes as he jumped off. He landed right in the center and in no time at all, he let his body float up to the surface.

“You did it!” Minseok yelled out happily.

Baekhyun and Kyungsoo both clapped from where they were sitting.

Jongdae smiled wide as pride began to swell up inside him.

Jongin and Minseok grabbed onto his arms and pulled him along to the shore. “You did great!” Jongin said as he patted Jongdae on the shoulder.

Jongdae stood on the grass and ran over to get a towel, “I did it!” He exclaimed.

Everyone’s eyes went up to Chanyeol, who was still on the tree.

“Jump!” Jongdae shouted.

Chanyeol bit his bottom lip. There was nothing to fear. If Jongdae could do it, then so could he. Besides…Jongin was watching. He couldn’t simply back out. He had an image to uphold. He let out a sigh and shut his eyes as he allowed himself to walk off the edge. He let out a shout and landed in the water.

The five below began to clap and let out cheers of encouragement once there was a splash. They waited for Chanyeol to come out with eager and excited faces. Their cheering continued, until it began to die down and was replaced with silence.

“Kyungsoo, how long should this take?” Baekhyun asked.

“…Not this long, Jongin!” Kyungsoo yelled out as he stood on his feet.

As if on cue, Jongin jumped into the water, Minseok trailing behind him.

Jongin dove into the water, eyes scanning around to see where Chanyeol was. He couldn’t believe he had been such an idiot! How could he have encouraged Chanyeol to jump when he was barely learning?

His eyes finally landed on Chanyeol. The knight had gotten his ankle stuck on an underwater plant. He had probably panicked when he was unable to get to the surface, causing him to begin to breathe in water.

Jongin swam towards him, unlatching the plant from his leg. He grabbed onto him as tight as he could and swam towards the shore. Something suddenly flashed in his mind, as if this had happened before. A sense of déjà vu washed over his body but he ignored the feeling.

He swam right by Minseok and dragged Chanyeol’s unconscious body onto the shore.

“Chanyeol!” He heard Baekhyun and Jongdae yell at the same time.

Jongin quickly placed his ear to Chanyeol’s chest. His heart was still beating. And again, the feeling of déjà vu washed over his body. A fuzzy memory wanted to form in his mind, but he willed it away.

“He’s fine, just unconscious.” Jongin responded.

He began to do chest compressions as Kyungsoo and Minseok held the Solarians back. “Stay calm.” Kyungsoo soothed as he held Baekhyun’s waist. “Jongin knows what he’s doing.”

Jongin saw that the chest compressions were doing nothing. Wake up Chanyeol…please wake up. He let out a grunt and moved Chanyeol’s hair away from his face.

He hovered over the older male’s face and it was only when he was this close to him that he began to see the latter’s striking features. He had not one blemish on his face and he was actually really handsome. Jongin shook the thoughts away quickly. He couldn’t afford to be thinking these things! He had to get the water out of Chanyeol’s lungs as soon as possible.

He took in a deep breath and pressed his lips on top of Chanyeol’s. He had only needed to give CPR once in his life. This was only the second, but he hoped that he was doing it correctly. He parted and looked down at the older male, still unconscious. He began to feel uneasy…

”Chanyeol! Stop teasing, wake up!” He yelled out. He again placed his lips atop Chanyeol’s and as if on cue, the elder’s eyes opened. He let out a small cough and Jongin parted just as quickly as he had made contact.

The elder began to cough and sat up as threw out the water. He inhaled big gasps of air.

Jongin smiled wide, “Chanyeol!” He shouted as he hugged him. “You’re so dumb! You almost gave me a heart attack!”

Chanyeol’s eyes were still a bit red from coughing and he was slightly disoriented.

The Solarians ran to him and bent down next to him, “Chanyeol, are you alright?” Jongdae asked.

Chanyeol looked over at him, his throat a bit sore. He nodded instead of replying.

“No more jumping!” Baekhyun commanded.

Chanyeol shook his head, still trying to process what was going on. When it suddenly dawned on him…Jongin was hugging him…naked. He suddenly felt himself go red and began to cough again as he choked on his own saliva. Baekhyun and Jongdae quickly gave him space, Jongin stood up to let Chanyeol get some air.

“I’m sorry. We’ll practice more next time, alright?” Jongin told him.

Chanyeol nodded as he held his chest. He was looking down at the ground, suddenly remembering what happened. And then he clearly remembered waking up to the Monalet knight…kissing him?

He bit his bottom lip and stood up. He looked directly at Jongin and pointed at him, “Why were you kissing me?! You…you…pervert!”

Jongin’s face went as red as a radish as his mouth opened in shock, “Perve—No! I would never kiss you! You idiot!” Jongin looked away, “Ha! I would have to be going insane to want to kiss you!”

Chanyeol turned around and walked to his clothes, “You were kissing me!” He shouted.

“It wasn’t a kiss! I was saving your life!” Jongin shouted back, embarrassed.

Baekhyun let out a small giggle. Why was Chanyeol so flustered?

Chanyeol threw one leg into his trousers, “Ha! You are such a liar!”

Jongin let out a grunt as he ran to Minseok and leaned on his shoulder. He snuggled his head into the elder and Minseok let out a chuckle as he ruffled the younger’s hair. “Get dressed Jongin, it’s about time we get home.”

The younger nodded and walked over to his clothing. He quickly got dressed and turned around. The five were talking about who knows what…that knight didn’t even bother to give him a thank you. He crossed his arms as he furrowed his brows. But his brows unfurrowed as again, the feeling of déjà vu came back. That was the third time in such a short span! A memory wanted to form in his mind, but it just didn’t come clearly enough. All he could make out was a body of water and a hand reaching in to grab something that had fallen in.

***

The Monalets arrived at their kingdom sometime in the afternoon. They put their horses in the stable and walked over to the den to continue their research. Their research had led them to compare samples of water to the one on the Eastern side to see what the differences between them were.

“I think today was fun, what do you think?” Minseok asked as he stretched.

Kyungsoo laughed, “Today was great.” He loved every second he could be with the Solaris prince. If it were up to him, he would dedicate days to him alone.

They looked over at Jongin, waiting for some kind of answer, but the latter stayed quiet.

“Jongin?” Minseok questioned.

The knight looked up, “Hm?”

“Did you hear us?”

“Err…no sorry, what?”

Kyungsoo let out a small scoff, “You were quiet the whole ride back. What’s on your mind?”

Jongin bit his bottom lip, “Well...something has been bugging me since we were at the lake.”

They tilted their heads in confusion. “What is it?” Minseok asked.

Jongin opened his mouth to speak, but was suddenly startled by a loud holler. Their eyes went wide and they all ran towards the training grounds where the scream came from. Another scream was heard and then a loud scoff. That only made them run faster. 

Once they arrived, their eyes widened at the sight in front of them. The younger knights were on their hands and knees as bricks rested on their backs. Their arms trembled and they were gritting their teeth together as they did their best to stay up. Sweat dripped from every visible part of their body and some of them collapsed onto the floor as their body gave up on them.

The head knight stood over them, smirking at their misery. “How do you expect to be good knights if you can’t even handle this?”

“What is the meaning of this?!” Kyungsoo yelled as he stormed in on the scene.

The head knight turned his head to face them. Kyungsoo, Minseok, and Jongin walked over to the younger knights and began removing the heavy bricks off of their backs.

“Rest.” Minseok commanded.

They looked up at him with worried eyes. “No, we can do it.” One of them named Jeno told him. His face was full of sweat and dirt.

Jongin shook his head, “No, this is no way to be training. Your body can get irreplaceable damage.”

“You are all dismissed for the rest of the day.” Minseok told them.

They tried standing, but their legs and arms trembled and they merely fell back down. They looked up at him, fear in their eyes. “We’re sorry.”

Minseok could hardly believe what he was seeing. They were the ones being victimized, yet, they were apologizing for being…human!

Minseok shot daggers into the head knight and stormed towards him. He grabbed him by the collar and slammed him into the wall.

“How long have you had them like that?!”

The head knight scowled at him, “Don’t interfere in manners that don’t concern you! Isn’t that what your beloved prince says?!”

Minseok once again slammed him into the wall and the head knight pushed him back, pulling out his sword.

Jongin was quickly by his brother’s side, his own sword out. It didn’t matter who you were, once you challenged Minseok, Jongin would instantly be by the latter’s side.

Kyungsoo stepped in between them, “Enough!” He stared down the head knight, “You are dismissed for the day! Get out of my sight!”

The head knight gritted his teeth together and he trembled in anger, but put his sword away. “As you wish.” He responded.

“My father will be getting word of this.” He told him calmly. “He will then decide what to do with you.”

The head knight’s fist tightened, “For what?! Training them?!”

Kyungsoo furrowed his brows and pulled out his sword out, placing the blade by the head knight’s neck. His eyes were dark and his features became sharp as he stared him down. “Do not raise your voice at me.” He told him sternly. “Or else I will find a way to convince my father to exile you from this land instead of giving you a second chance as I know he will.”

The head knight relaxed his features, but it was easy to see he was seething. “Yes sir.” He responded as he turned around to walk away.

Kyungsoo let out a sigh as he looked over at Minseok, “You really needed to control your temper.”

Minseok scoffed as he put away his sword. “I can rip him to shreds and he knows it.”

Kyungsoo shook his head as he scoffed, “Help me get the younger knights to their quarters. They will get the rest of the day off and tomorrow as well if they need it.”

***

Baekhyun walked swiftly to his room and shut the door as he shut his eyes tight. He pressed his back to it as he let out a sigh. He had just barely managed to evade his parent’s questions about the masquerade ball coming up.

“What’s wrong with you?”

He opened his eyes to see Chanyeol and Jongdae giving him curious eyes. They had their eyebrow raised as they eyed him. Baekhyun let out a scoff as he walked over to his bed and threw himself atop of it.

“My parents were beginning to speak about the Masquerade ball coming up. I barely managed to escape.”

Chanyeol let out a small laugh, “Your parents really want you to bring someone this year.”

Baekhyun sat up as he pouted, “I know! But I haven’t courted anyone. I don’t really want to either.”

“What about Taeyeon?” Asked Jongdae.

Baekhyun rolled his eyes. The princess had been someone their parents had been eyeing for him since when he learned to walk. But he didn’t like her in that way. Sure, she was a nice person, but he didn’t want to bring her to the Solaris ball.

“No way. She’s just a friend.” He threw himself back onto the bed. He always imagined that the first time he brought someone, it would be the person he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. He always imagined that the person he brought would become his fiancé and they would ultimately marry and rule together side by side.

“Well, if you don’t figure something out, your parents will make you bring her.” Chanyeol responded as he sat next to Baekhyun.

Baekhyun looked up at him, “I fear they’ll do that too.” 

Jongdae sat next to them, “Just bring anyone to please your parents. They don’t mind who it is, they just want someone.”

Baekhyun grabbed a pillow and placed it over his head as he muffled into it. He removed it and had his lips out with his cheeks slightly puffed out. “Anyways…change topic…you guys learned to float today?”

Jongdae let out a laugh, “Well…one of us did.”

Chanyeol’s mouth dropped, “Hey! I learned! It’s just…my ankle got caught on something and I couldn’t come back up.”

Baekhyun hit the knight with a pillow. “You nearly gave us a heart attack you dunce.”

“Ah…sorry. I was scared too though. I thought I was done for.”

Jongdae shook his head, “Next time, I’ll jump with you.”

Chanyeol laughed, “Thanks…hey, I have been meaning to ask you guys something.”

They both listened with Jongdae responding, “Yes?”

“Well…I’m not sure how to put it, but did today seem…familiar to you?”

Jongdae tilted his head to the side, “What do you mean?”

“Well…I don’t know, just something about what happened today seemed a bit familiar. Did it seem familiar to you?”

Baekhyun thought back and as he thought and searched deep in his mind for an answer, a memory did want to resurface. He could recall yelling out Chanyeol’s name before…but perhaps it was for a different reason. They always did get in trouble as children.

“I can’t remember.” Baekhyun replied.

“Ah…probably my mistake then. Forget I said anything.”

“Maybe something similar happened once and that’s why it seems so familiar to you.”

Chanyeol nodded in agreement, “Yeah, maybe.”

***

Kyungsoo met up with his knights in the den shortly after dropping off all of the younger knights to bed. They were so exhausted, their bodies could barely stand on their own.

“The nerve of that guy…” Minseok mumbled under his breath.

Kyungsoo scoffed, “I’m upset too. Believe me, tomorrow I am telling my father about this.”

Minseok shook his head, “I was about to slay him where he stood. I hope he knows that next time he may not be so lucky.”

Kyungsoo placed his hand on Minseok’s shoulder as he shook him a bit, “That’s enough. Let’s focus on studying our samples now.”

Minseok nodded and walked towards the different water samples they had gathered, “Jongin, can you please pass me the sample from the Southern watering hole?”

No answer.

Kyungsoo looked over at the younger. He was looking at nothing in particular as he furrowed his eyes. He had been acting like this ever since their ride back from meeting up with the Solarians.

“Jongin?” Minseok questioned as he looked over at his brother.

As if in a trance, Jongin shook his head and locked eyes with his brother, “Hm?”

“Are you feeling alright?” Kyungsoo asked.

Jongin twisted his mouth to the side as he looked away. “I have things on my mind.”

“Care to share?” Minseok asked.

Jongin sighed. How can he explain how he felt when he had saved Chanyeol? He wasn’t sure where to even begin.

“Well…earlier, when I saved Chanyeol…it felt as though something like that had happened before. It was as if I was trying to remember something. But a lot of it seemed similar. Even the way I felt after saving him.”

“You think that you may saved someone before?” Kyungsoo asked.

Jongin pierced his lips together, “Not someone….I think I may have saved Chanyeol before.”

Minseok furrowed his brows, “That doesn’t make sense Jongin. That would imply that you had met him before.”

Jongin pierced his lips together and shook his head, “You’re right. My mind is probably playing tricks on me.”  


	18. Chapter 18

“I expect this to never happen again! Do I make myself clear?!” The king yelled as he looked down at the head knight.

The head knight was on his hands and knees, Kyungsoo was next to his father staring the head knight down.

“It will never happen again your majesty.” The head knight responded.

“If I get word of this again, you will be relieved of your duties as a knight.” The queen told him sternly.

The head knight lifted up his head from the floor, “I apologize your highness. I promise, that I have learned my lesson.”

Kyungsoo kept true to his word and once he had awoken that morning, had made his way to his father. He told the king everything about what he had seen. He told him about how his knights and he had walked in on the display from yesterday. His parents grew furious and called the head knight right then and there.

“You are dismissed for the day. As punishment, I have arranged for you to clean out the horse stable for today. I want the entire place shining by the time you are finished.”

The head knight stood up and gave them a bow, “As you wish.” He turned around and walked out the door. The prince’s knight stood by it and the head knight gave each of them a small scowl. They simply ignored it and continued looking ahead.

The queen let out a small sigh once the door was shut. “I am so disappointed.” She said as she sat down on the throne.

Kyungsoo walked over to her slowly, “Don’t let that stress you. There are other important matters to attend to.”

“You’re right Kyungsoo.” She looked up at him and smiled, Kyungsoo gave her one back.

“I shall make my way towards the archives now. I need to check if this problem with the watering hole has ever happened before.”

The king nodded, “Great idea, checking the history will surely help you.”

Kyungsoo gave his parents a slight bow and walked out of the throne room, his knights followed behind.

The archives were a place where the history of the kingdom was recorded. There were many scrolls dated to different times and it was so vast, Kyungsoo was never able to keep up with everything.

The trio opened the door and walked inside to see nothing but shelves full of scrolls.

Jongin let out a small sigh, “How will we ever find anything in here?”

Kyungsoo twisted his mouth to the side as his eyes scanned the area. “We’re going to spend all day in here. Make the most of it.” He walked on ahead, “I will take this end.”

Minseok walked directly towards the center, “I will try over here.”

Jongin pouted and walked over to the end opposite of Kyungsoo, “I’ll look over here.” The youngest knights pulled out a scroll and read, but it was useless so he put it back. He let out a sigh and walked further in, all the way to the back of the room. It was very dusty and obvious that no one had been back here in years. The sun shined from a small window and was the only light available back here.

He looked around the shelves and every single scroll was covered in dust. It looked disgusting with the cobwebs that also hung off of them. He scrunched up his face and pulled out a scroll, only to have more fall out behind it. He let out a grunt as he bent down to pick them up, but something caught his eye before he grabbed them. On a lower shelf was something that was glistening. His eyes looked over and saw something shining. He let out a small hum as his hand reached for it. He grabbed what felt like a small glass box and pulled it out. It was very dusty and curiosity got the best of him.

Jongin smiled and used his hand to dust it off. It had the Monalet symbol on the very top and he opened it to reveal about three scrolls inside. He let out a small scoff and pulled one out. What could possibly be hidden in such a cute little box?

He unraveled the scroll and his eyes practically bulged out as he read the first words:

_Monalet and Solaris to become one, both kingdoms rejoice!_

His mouth opened, but he continued reading:

_Our prince has officially received a “yes” to the engagement question. As everyone knows, Chaerin is the most beautiful princess in all of the land. The wedding does not have an official date, but it is confirmed that the Monalet prince and Solaris princess will be married._

He quickly put the scroll in the glass box and shut it tight as he ran to find Minseok and Kyungsoo. They needed to know what he had just found. He wasn’t sure what was in the other two scrolls, but one thing was for sure, this was an amazing discovery.

“Minseok! Kyungsoo!” He yelled as he ran out.

The prince and knight were looking on the same shelf when they suddenly heard Jongin calling for them.

“Jongin?” They both questioned as they walked towards his voice.

He stopped right in front of them, with his eyes in shock and hair in slight disarray.  

“What is it? Did you find something?”

Instead of answering, he stuck out the box that he was holding. “We need to read this.” Is all he said.

***

Chanyeol walked up and down the training grounds of the Solaris kingdom. He knew that the plans for later were to meet up with the Monalets. Their meetings were now becoming a very common practice and the knight felt as though time could not go fast enough. Today, they would not be meeting in the morning, but a little later in the day due to their schedules. Baekhyun was busy doing something with his father while Jongdae was helping the younger knight’s train.

He let out a sigh as he twiddled his thumbs. He could not get what happened yesterday out of his head. Jongin had…saved him. He always felt that the younger was attractive and if he was being completely honest, if Jongin had been a Solarian, then Chanyeol would have definetly tried to get to know him the very first day that they had met. Perhaps…he may have even tried to court him. As the thought hit him, he felt a blush creep up and he shook the thought away immediately. There was no way that he could be having such thoughts! Jongin was prohibited! It was wrong for them to be friends, much less something more. But he couldn’t deny that it would be amazing if there was no stupid feud.

He bit his bottom lip as he suddenly remembered that there was a time when Solaris and Monalet got along. They were never properly taught why the feud began…but he was pretty sure if he went to the archives then he would find exactly what happened.

He didn’t have much to do today…Jongdae had it covered anyway. Besides…Jongdae wouldn’t mind if Chanyeol took a little break. He made eye contact with the latter and signaled that he was going into the palace. Jongdae merely nodded and continued training the younger knights.

Chanyeol walked off and headed towards the archives. He wasn’t sure if this was a good idea or if he should be doing this at all. But curiosity was getting the better of him.

He walked past the servants and headed into the archives, shutting the door behind him. He let out a sigh as he turned to face the scrolls. There was shelves upon shelves of ancient scrolls, all filled with the history of Solaris. As a child, he had only come in here once to help his teacher look for a scroll.

“Can I help you young knight?” A voice spoke from his left and he jumped. He didn’t expect anyone to actually be in here. An elderly woman sat on a small desk, a feather in hand as she used it as a pen.

“Uhh…” Chanyeol was unsure how to respond. He had seen everyone in the castle, yet this was a new face to him.

The elderly lady smiled at him and her eyes crinkled upwards. “What brings you into the archives today?”

Chanyeol furrowed his brows at her, “I apologize if I am imposing, but who are you?”

“I am the one in charge of the archives. I live in one of the furthest parts of the castle and my job is to make sure to keep everything in here organized.”

Chanyeol raised an eyebrow, “Why have I never seen you before?”

She let out a throaty laugh, “Prince’s knight, you are with our prince all of the time. And I am pretty sure that the prince doesn’t know of me either, seeing that he has never stepped foot in the archives. You on the other hand, have. When you were just a small child.”

Chanyeol gave the woman a small smile. She spoke so softly and looked so frail, there was no reason to have his guard up.

“I see. I suppose you could help me, seeing that you know everything about the archives.”

She nodded in agreement, “I do. My family has been doing this for generations now.”

“What can you tell me about the days that Solaris and Monalet got along?”

She tilted her head to the side in curiosity, “Oh? May I ask why you want to know that?”

Chanyeol shrugged, “Curiosity.” He responded.

The woman merely sent him a smile, “Interesting. Well, if you must know, those days were eons ago. My grandmother would tell me tales of how her great grandmother saw Monalets and Solarians together without a care in the world.”

Chanyeol’s eyes widened. Is it possible that such a world existed at one point?

“However, tragedy struck shortly before the kingdoms united. This tragedy is what caused the kingdoms to despise one another.”

Chanyeol was now officially intrigued. He took a step towards her, “Please, tell me more.”

She nodded, “Of course young knight. I shall tell you and then show you the scrolls that have the proof engraved on them.”

***

Chanyeol ran into his private quarters, scrolls tight in between his fists. The woman had not only told him what had happened, but had let him borrow the scrolls that held all of the information as well.

_“Bring them back once you are done.”_

She had told him after he had asked if it was alright to take the scrolls with him. Of course he would bring them back, he just needed to show Jongdae and Baekhyun what he had found, they should know.

Baekhyun was with Jongdae in their room. They had finished what they were supposed to be doing and decided to meet up there. Baekhyun knew that Chanyeol would be showing up shortly. The knight would not miss a chance to be able to see the Monalets.

The Solaris prince sat next to Jongdae, waiting for Chanyeol to come so that they can leave. He didn’t expect Chanyeol to come bursting in, slamming the door behind him.

The both of them looked up, visibly startled. “What are you doing?” Asked Jongdae.

Chanyeol’s eyes were wide and he held scrolls tightly in his hands. Baekhyun furrowed his brows as he focused on them. They seemed old and a bit worn out.

“What is that?” The prince asked.

Chanyeol walked towards them and stuck the scrolls out towards them. “Read this.”

Baekhyun eyed the scrolls and looked back up at his knight. He looked as if to be in a trance. He wasn’t smiling and instead, was so serious.

“What’s in them?” Baekhyun asked as he took them in his hands.

“They contain why we are raised to hate Monalets so much.” He answered.

Baekhyun let out a tiny gasp and practically ripped open the scroll. Could this possibly help his goal? His goal of obtaining peace between both kingdoms?

Jongdae leaned in to read with Baekhyun:

_It seems as though the wedding will take place tomorrow. I am very nervous, but I have no regrets. I am nothing short of ecstatic knowing that I will soon be married to my prince, Jiyong. He and I will reign over Monalet and Solaris as the rightful king and queen._

_-Chaerin, princess of Solaris_

“Married?!”

Chanyeol nodded, “Read all the scrolls.”

_The princess was found dead this morning, prince Yoongi is nothing short of furious. She has been stabbed multiple times with an unknown object. Her ladies in waiting found her lying in a pool of blood, the very day she was set to get married. What surprises me most is the perpetrator…_

_Jiyong’s emblem and cape were found next to her body…_

_That traitor! He did this! But why?!_

_-The princess’s knight_

Jongdae shook his head, “This doesn’t make any sense.”

Baekhyun shushed him as he pulled out the final scroll and began reading:

_That imbecile took my sister away! I swear that I will destroy his entire kingdom even if it is the last thing I do! There is now a new rule to be added, all Monalets are our enemies. All of them knew what their precious prince was up to, yet, not one decided to try and put a stop to it! As far as I know, they encouraged it! If one is found, you are ordered to kill them on sight. Anyone that disobeys this rule will be punished by death. Monalets are nothing but filthy and lying creatures. From now on, Solaris is NEVER to interact with any one of them!_

_As for you my sister…I apologize for being unable to protect you. I should never have let that Jiyong anywhere near you from the very beginning. You may be gone…but your memory lives on. You would have made a wonderful queen…but now…you are more than that. You are our Sun Goddess._

_-Prince Yoongi_

Baekhyun placed the final scroll down slowly, unsure of what to say. He was speechless.

“So…Monalet’s prince killed our princess?” Jongdae asked in a hushed whisper.

Baekhyun opened his mouth slowly, “That princess is…”

“Our Sun Goddess.” Chanyeol finished. “She is the one that we hear stories about. The one that lost her life before she could marry her beloved.” The knight held out something, it looked like a tiny scroll that was wrapped up. Jongdae reached out and unwrapped it slowly, Baekhyun’s eyes were on it, just as Jongdae’s were.

The scroll was a drawing of a girl. She was smiling with a bright look on her face. Her eyes were scrunched up and could be described as catlike. Her hair was long and the color of the sun. A single word was written by the corner, _Chaerin._

“Chaerin…the Sun Goddess was our princess?” Jongdae questioned.

Baekhyun’s eyes shot up, “Is it possible then that the Moon God…?”

Chanyeol and Jongdae’s eyes widened. That hadn’t even occurred to them.

“We should tell them about this.” Jongdae said as he stood up. “We wanted to know why this feud started and we just got our answer.”

Baekhyun nodded, “We should leave now.”

“I forgot to mention something.” Chanyeol spoke up. “I also have a map, but I’m not sure what it leads to.”

***

The Monalets abandoned trying to research past occurrences of the watering hole ever being contaminated. Instead, their focus shifted to reading what was on the scrolls that Jongin had just presented them.

“Jongin, where did you find these?” Minseok asked as the trio got on the floor to spread the scrolls out.

“They were in the back. I got curious and pulled the box out.”

Kyungsoo unraveled one of the scrolls and the trio began reading:

_It is such a joyous day today! Jiyong is going to marry the Solaris princess by sun down. He is nothing short of ecstatic and I am nothing less than happy for him. He is getting ready and I am so proud that he was able to find his soulmate…_

_-The prince’s knight_

“They were supposed to get married? Monalet and Solaris?” Kyungsoo reached for another scroll and unraveled it, reading more:

_Solarians are nothing but scum! Instead of a wedding, they accused my brother, Jiyong, of killing their princess! We are just as upset by the news of the princess’s passing, but for them to even think that our prince would hurt her..! It brings nothing but outrage in me!_

_Jiyong has not taken the news lightly, he has locked himself in his room and refuses to come out. I have checked on him multiple times, but he has yet to answer. He hasn’t eaten since yesterday when the news of Chaerin’s death reached him._

_If Solarians weren’t so full of themselves, then they would understand we would be more than willing than to help them find the murder. But all they do is accuse our innocent prince of something he did not do! I have also heard that Yoongi is the most angry by this news. I have heard hearsay that he is trying to pass a law that states how Monalets are not to be trusted and that we are banned from entering onto their lands! My poor brother is mourning the loss of Chaerin and he can’t even go to her funeral!_

_It saddens me to think I once considered him my friend…perhaps even more. But, I can never forgive him for the pain he is causing my brother!_

_-Chaeyoung, Princess of Monalet_

They stood in silence for a bit as they processed what they had just read. It didn’t seem possible…Kyungsoo was still processing how Solaris and Monalet were supposed to be united. Now, he had to comprehend how apparently the Solaris princess had died the day of their wedding. And not simply just…died…she was murdered!

“They accused our prince of a crime he didn’t commit?” Minseok questioned.

“It appears so.” Jongin answered.

Kyungsoo pierced his lips together. Is this the feud that began their hatred? A false accusation? He unraveled another scroll and quickly began reading again. He wanted to know the full story:

_I feel like doing nothing again today. I don’t know how I even have the will to write. My sister came by earlier today to make sure I had eaten. I suppose that it is all of interest that has happened…_

_My princess…I miss her so much. Why? Why did this have to happen?_

_The day she was to be mine…fate took her away from me! And worse…everyone in Solaris sees me as the one who took her life…_

_I would never hurt her…I loved her so much…she was my everything…_

_I overheard my sister telling my mother that they made a temple in Solaris dedicated to her. They said it was the color of the sun and she has received a new name…the Sun Goddess…_

_Perhaps if I prove myself worthy in this life, I can be resurrected as a God. And then maybe…we can be together. I can be the Moon God and she will be my Sun Goddess._

_-Jiyong, Prince of Monalet_

At the very bottom, next to the signature was a drawing of someone. The person had black hair with piercing eyes. On his chest was the Monalet emblem and he was dressed in dark clothing. Kyungsoo realized right away who it was.

Jongin gasped as he read the last line. “Moon God?”

Minseok looked up at him, shock in his eyes. “The Goddess they worship is…”

Kyungsoo could hardly believe what he was reading. He had one final scroll to read, but he already felt as though he understood enough.

“He couldn’t have killed her.” Jongin suddenly spoke up. “In this alone, it seems as though he loved her so much. I can’t imagine that he hurt her.”

Kyungsoo picked up the final scroll with writing on it and began reading:

_My brother has been found…dead. I am not sure if he took his life or if he was murdered. But, one thing is for certain…Solarians are to blame! When I become queen, I will officially make a law that states how no one is allowed to interact with a Solarian. Anyone that breaks this rule, will be exiled, if not worse._

_Jiyong will be given a proper burial tomorrow. I can’t believe he is gone...he did not deserve this. I hate them…Solarians…every single one of them. I never want to hear that dreaded word ever again!_

_Although he is gone, I feel his presence. It’s almost as if he is guiding me. I know it sounds silly, but I know he is watching over Monalet now. Jiyong told me that is all he wanted in his after life, to become a God._

_I vow to build him a temple. A temple that will be dedicated solely to his memory and to offer guidance to Monalets. The temple will be known as the Moon God’s temple. For that is what my brother Jiyong is now...the Moon God._

_-Chaeyoung, Princess of Monalet_

There was stunned silence as they each read the final words of their princess. Kyungsoo looked up to see the faces of his knights. They were both lost in thought as they stared down at the scroll.

“I refuse to believe he killed her.” Kyungsoo said.

Minseok shook his head, “This all started…because of a false accusation.”

Jongin shook his head, “No…it goes deeper than that. It started because someone decided to kill the Solarian princess.” He gritted his teeth together, “That’s not fair! Someone killed her and our prince got the blame for it! He was grieving just as much if not more.”

“So now because of a false accusation years ago, we can’t pass a Solarian without killing them.” Kyungsoo responded.

Jongin twisted his mouth to the side and began placing the scrolls back in the box, “We should show this to them.”

By “them” Kyungsoo knew that Jongin meant Baekhyun, Jongdae, and Chanyeol. And he agreed. They also had a right to know this, it involved Baekhyun’s ancestors as much as it involved Kyungsoo’s.

As Jongin placed the final scroll in the box, Kyungsoo noticed a smaller scroll hidden underneath. He would have missed it, if not for the loose strand sticking out. He squinted and stuck out his hand to reach for it.

“What’s this?” he questioned as he pulled it out slowly.

The knights leaned over his shoulder to get a better look.  The prince unraveled it to reveal a map. He tilted his head as he got a better look, just what does it lead to?


	19. Chapter 19

The Solaris prince waited impatiently by the tree in the secret clearing. Now that he knew what caused this useless feud, he wanted Kyungsoo to know. He wanted to tell him that he didn’t care that his own ancestor was killed by the old Monalet prince. That didn’t matter to him at all, he still wanted to see him...but what if Kyungsoo wouldn’t want to anymore?

That thought suddenly brought a sick feeling in his stomach and he lifted up his thumb and began to bite the nail. Is it possible that Kyungsoo would want nothing to do with him because of this? A sudden feeling of dread washed over him as he began to imagine losing Kyungsoo.

“Baekhyun,” Jongdae called out as he placed his hand on Baekhyun’s leg.

Baekhyun’s eyes darted to him, interrupting his thoughts. 

“You alright?”

Baekhyun nodded briskly.

Jongdae sent him a small smile, “You’re biting your nail. What’s wrong?”

Baekhyun shook his head as he put his hand down. “Nothing.”

As if on cue, a rustle was heard and the trio looked towards the sound. Kyungsoo crawled into the clearing and stood up quickly, his knights followed closely behind. They didn’t bother dusting themselves off and Jongin held up a box, “We have to talk!” He yelled out.

“It’s going to have to wait. We have something more important.” Chanyeol replied as he pulled out the scrolls.

The Monalet knights walked where they were and sat by them.

Baekhyun noticed Kyungsoo’s eyebrows furrowed and the latter hadn’t even looked at him. Is it possible that he already knew? Did he already hate Baekhyun for a feud that happened years ago? Baekhyun tried to swallow away the knot in his throat to no avail.

“We went into the archives and found out why this feud started.” Minseok said as Jongin opened the box.

Jongdae’s eyes widened, “So did we!”

“Your prince killed our princess, starting this whole thing.” Chanyeol spoke out.

Minseok’s eyes shot up, “No, that isn’t true! Your accusations drove him to depression!”

Jongdae shook his head, “Then explain why his emblem was next to her body.”

Jongin’s mouth dropped, “That’s a lie!”

“It’s all in the scrolls!” Chanyeol shouted as he opened them up and laid them out for the Monalets to see.

Jongin shook his head, “Your prince started this feud! He refused to let any Monalet go to Solaris. He is the reason that hatred spread! Our people were more than willing to help find the princess’s murder.”

“Would you want the murder of your sister walking around at her funeral? Of course not! Prince Yoongi did what he had to do to keep the kingdom safe. Just admit that you were in the wrong.”

Minseok shook his head again, “No! Listen, I know it’s hard to admit defeat, but your accusations of a crime we did not commit drove our kingdom away. If anything, you owe us an apology.”

Chanyeol scoffed, “Us? Your prince should have thought of that before he murdered our princess in cold blood.”

Kyungsoo gritted his teeth and held out the scrolls that had entries of how much Jiyong suffered after the death of Chaerin. “He didn’t! Read this and educate yourself! You sound so ignorant!” He told them in an icy voice.

Baekhyun didn’t like the arguing to begin with. He was doing his best to stay out of it and planned on intervening if he saw it getting too riled up. But when he saw the way Kyungsoo scowled at them, as if Baekhyun was some kind of…enemy…he felt the lump in his throat grow. He pierced his lips together as he tried to will away the tears, but it was no use. Kyungsoo probably hated him now…and the thought was too much for him to handle.  

“Baekhyun?” Minseok asked softly. That stopped everyone from arguing and instead it got quiet as all eyes landed on him.

He looked around and he let out a small scoff as he licked his lips and looked down. “I don’t like this arguing.” He responded as he stood up. It was partially true…but a piece of him knew that he also couldn’t bear the thought of Kyungsoo hating him.

He turned the other direction as he walked away.

“Baekhyun?” Kyungsoo called out after him, but Baekhyun didn’t turn.

Kyungsoo stood up as he scurried over to Baekhyun’s side. He grabbed the elder’s wrist, stopping him in his tracks. Baekhyun’s eyes widened as his heart did somersaults…what was happening to him?

“Baekhyun, are you alright?” Kyungsoo asked as he pulled him in.

Baekhyun made no fight, he allowed the hands that cupped his face and turned his head around. Kyungsoo held him firm but gently as he looked in the elder’s eyes. Baekhyun looked anywhere but at Kyungsoo until the Monalet prince demanded it, “Baekhyun, look at me.”

Baekhyun obeyed instantly, eyes locking. Kyungsoo’s eyes were alluring…they held so much care and worry. Why…why did they have to be enemies?

The Monalet’s prince’s thumb wiped under Baekhyun’s eyes, removing small droplets of water.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you upset.”

Baekhyun continued looking into Kyungsoo’s eyes as his head rested on his hand. They held sincerity in them and Baekhyun felt himself falling deeper. “I just think…” the Solaris prince began, “That we should listen to one another. This talking over one another is doing us no good. We should listen to both sides and come to our own conclusion together.”

Kyungsoo sent him a small smile. The Solaris prince was such a kind soul. He always wanted what was best for everyone…he was incredible. “I agree. I lost my temper and spoke out in a horrible way.”

Baekhyun blinked and a smile began to appear and hid away the small frown from before.

Kyungsoo smiled wide at him and his hands dropped down to his sides, “You scared me. Don’t do that again.”

Baekhyun giggled, “Control your temper next time.”

The both of them made their way towards their knights who were looking away. What they had just witnessed…it wasn’t the way friends acted. It was so much more than that. The way they had smiled at one another was different. Neither of them wanted to say a word about it…but the four of them knew that Baekhyun and Kyungsoo were feeling more than they were ready to admit.

***

“I just want to apologize for earlier.” Chanyeol spoke out once everyone was settled down. “I raised my voice and it was uncalled for.”

Minseok sent him a small smile, “It was all of us, not just you. I feel that we are all experiencing strong emotions and we’re unsure as to how to handle them.”

Jongdae nodded as he agreed with the elder. “We shouldn’t become our ancestors. This is the reason they got in this problem to begin with.”

After Jongdae said this, they all looked over each scroll. Their eyes scanned over them intently as they read. They didn’t want to miss out on anything and needed to make sure that they grasped every detail.

After extensive research, Baekhyun began to feel guilty that he had originally believed that the Monalet prince killed the Solaris princess. The entries in the scrolls showed someone that was deeply depressed over the loss of a loved one. It seemed as though he poured his entire heart when he spoke about her. It made Baekhyun wonder just how someone who seemed to be so in love would ever be capable of such a horrendous crime.

Kyungsoo also understood where Baekhyun and his knights were coming from earlier. After reading entry after entry of what past Solarians had written, he could see why they believed the prince killed their princess. He understood their frustration and why they would feel they needed to banish Monalets. The prince, Yoongi, seemed as though he was coming from a good place. If the two kingdoms had just interacted…then perhaps this misunderstanding would have been resolved and there be no hatred today.

“This…brings a whole new perspective.” Jongin said as he placed the scroll down slowly. His eyes stayed down and he let out a small scoff, “We seem like monsters.”

Chanyeol looked up at him and shook his head, “You aren’t a monster Jongin. They didn’t know how to speak to one another after the tragedy.”

“But…that doesn’t answer the question of who killed the princess.” Jongin remarked with a pout.

Chanyeol shrugged, “I suppose that will remain a mystery. But after reading everything, I am convinced that the prince’s emblem was planted in her room. Perhaps, our kingdom is to blame for this.”

Jongin sent him a small smile, “Our kingdom is not innocent either. They could have tried to help Jiyong speak with Solaris instead of simply turning the other way. I suppose, in a way, Monalet did not support him while he was depressed. They simply looked away and did nothing to aid him when news came out that he had locked himself in his private quarters.”

“What I find incredible is that the Sun Goddess was our princess and we worship her now. But, I am positive she would be shaking her head in disagreement if she saw how much Solaris hates Monalets.” Jongdae said as he straightened up.

Minseok nodded, “I agree. It seems our prince did not want this feud to persist. It seemed that he wanted it to end.”

Jongin nodded, “Our Moon God did not want a fight between Solaris and Monalet. He wanted to have peace between them.”

“Only one good thing seems to come out of this.” Baekhyun spoke out. Five pairs of eyes turned to look at him and he smiled, “At least they met in the afterlife. They were resurrected as God and Goddess.”

Kyungsoo smiled, “I suppose that leaves a happy ending to a tragic love story. Perhaps that is how all tragedies go, the lovers can’t be together and end up meeting in another life.”

Baekhyun looked over at him, “Perhaps some soulmates can only be together in the next life.”

Kyungsoo shrugged, “I hope they found a way to each other.”

“Hey, there is something else I want to investigate.” Jongin spoke up as he pulled out another scroll. He placed it in the center for everyone to see and unraveled it to reveal the map.

Chanyeol’s eyes widened as he pulled out the map that he had tucked away, “I have one too!” He exclaimed as he placed it next to Jongin’s. He unwrapped it and they all gasped in shock as they looked over both maps. They were exactly the same! It had a big red “X” marked on a certain location for the both of them.

“Where do you think it leads?” Jongdae asked as he tilted his head to get a better look.

Chanyeol shrugged, “I don’t know, but there is a way to find out.” He looked up and saw the determination in everyone else’s eyes.

“Let’s go.” Kyungsoo replied.

***

The six of them rode through the lands to a place that neither of them had ever been to. The map lead them to a thick forest full of trees and shrubs. The horses stopped before entering. A forest is as close as they could describe it, but in reality, it was so overgrown with plants there was no way for the horses to enter. There was no trail and it seemed completely untouched by any human being.

“Are you sure this is where it leads?” Minseok asked.

Jongin and Chanyeol looked over each other’s map. There was no denying that inside was where the red “X” was marked.

“Yes. We have to go inside.” Jongin said as he climbed off his horse.

“How do we know where to look?” Asked Kyungsoo as he followed behind Jongin.

“Simple,” Jongin pointed to the red “X” and very distinctive landmarks that were right next to it. “Our destination seems to be in between the Monalet and Solaris symbol.”

Baekhyun looked over Chanyeol’s map and saw that there was in fact both their emblems next to the “X”.

“We have to be careful.” Jongdae said as he walked towards them. “It can be dangerous in there.”

Chanyeol nodded as he began to lead the way, “We’re going to have to make our own trail.” He moved a branch to the side and made his way through. Jongin followed right behind him and grabbed onto the latter’s arm to make sure he wouldn’t fall. Chanyeol turned to look at him and held him tightly by the waist. He needed to make sure that no harm would befall the younger. “I got you.” Chanyeol muttered.

 Jongin looked up at him and gave him a small smile, “Thank you.” He answered, his eyes shining as he locked eyes with the other knight.

Chanyeol smiled at him, “You know I would never let anything happen to you.”

Jongin chuckled and playfully shoved him, “Since when have you decided you should court me?”

Chanyeol turned a bit red as he shook his head, “No, no! It’s not—“

Jongin laughed and ran ahead. Chanyeol furrowed his brows as he ran to catch up with the younger.

The rest followed behind them, with Jongin and Chanyeol leading the way. They would move around branches or use their swords to make some kind of opening. They weren’t sure where exactly they needed to go, all they knew was that they were looking for something that would answer their curiosity.

“What do you think it is?” Baekhyun asked.

Kyungsoo turned to look at him, “I don’t know. It could be anything really.”

Baekhyun let out a small scoff, “Imagine…all this happened because of two people that couldn’t be together.”

Kyungsoo sighed, “…hey Baekhyun?”

“Yes?”

“Do you…perhaps blame my people for what happened?”

Baekhyun looked over at him, “What?”

“I mean…your princess died and my prince was the main suspect.”

Baekhyun raised an eyebrow, “Yes…but…that doesn’t mean he did it.”

“I don’t think so either, but what if he did? Would you hate me?”

Baekhyun giggled and took Kyungsoo’s hand in his own, “No idiot.” He teased, “I could never hate you. You mean too much to me.”

Kyungsoo felt a warm feeling arise in his chest and he couldn’t help the smile that began to sprawl on his lips, “Really?”

Baekhyun nodded, “Yes. Besides, we agreed that we all believe he didn’t do it. Whoever did it obviously had some kind of grudge against both our kingdoms. They killed my princess and framed your prince. That person is the worst kind of scum there could be on this planet.”

Kyungsoo smiled wide as he pressed himself into Baekhyun. He leaned his head on the latter’s shoulder and let out a loud exhale. Baekhyun smiled down and placed his hand around Kyungsoo’s waist. He knew it might not be the best idea to walk like this because of how easily they could both stumble and fall, but he didn’t want Kyungsoo to part from him. He felt so complete with Kyungsoo at his side like this.

Minseok and Jongdae walked at the back of the group. They saw how Baekhyun and Kyungsoo were treating each other and they were both having suspicions. But neither of them uttered a word about it. Instead, they spoke about other things, such as what they believed they would find ahead.

They all suddenly stopped in their tracks as they saw a bright light ahead. Despite the darkness that seemed to be shrouding them as they walked, this light stood out because it seemed as though the trees above made an opening for it.

“That light…” Chanyeol began.

“It’s almost as bright as Solaris.” Baekhyun finished.

Kyungsoo could hardly take his eyes off of the light that seemed so pure. Is it possible that Solaris was more beautiful than this?  

Baekhyun wasn’t sure what compelled him, but he suddenly ran past everyone. He wanted to know what exactly that ray of sunlight was shining on. That must be what they were looking for, it just had to be.

“Baekhyun!” They called out as they sprinted behind him.

Baekhyun ran and ran until he made it into a big clearing. The rest of them stopped next to him and all their mouths dropped at what they had just encountered. There was a stone altar in the center, the Monalet and Solaris symbol were atop it. The symbols were entangled together in what it seemed like some kind of symbolism for unity. The stone altar was decaying, one could tell by the dark gray color that it was. Moss had grown all around it and paint was peeling from the symbols, but they were legible nonetheless. The altar had a walkway embroidered with blue and yellow flowers. There was also a pond that circled the altar and its walkway. The water was so clear, one could see the very bottom of it. It seemed like something out of a story. There was no way that such a beautiful altar existed. In the very corner a little further away was a small hut. It wasn’t very big, but seemed comfortable from the outside.

“What is this place?” Minseok asked as he took a step closer. 

“I think…” Kyungsoo began, “This is where they were supposed to get married.”

They all let out a small gasp. It all made sense. The map may have been some kind of wedding invitation.

Chanyeol walked towards the small hut in the corner with Jongin next to him. They opened the door and peered inside. It was very dusty and worn down a bit, but cozy and tidy. There was only a bed right in the center.

“It was.” Chanyeol answered. “This place must have been so that they could consummate the marriage.”

“Your people have that tradition too?” Jongin asked.

In Monalet and Solaris tradition, when a pair get married, they have a specific place built so that they may consummate it. It was to be private and they must go in once the ceremony is over and are not to be seen out of it until the very next morning.

“Yes.” Chanyeol replied as he shut the door.

“It was never used.” Baekhyun said as he walked towards the altar.

Kyungsoo followed behind him, listening to the gentle sway of the pond. It was such a shame that such a beautiful place that had probably been built with so much love and dedication had never been used.

“It really is sad.” Kyungsoo replied. He walked next to Baekhyun who was standing next to the altar. His eyes scanned around it as he took in the beautiful craftsmanship.

Baekhyun and Kyungsoo suddenly locked eyes under the altar. “Perhaps someone can use this in the future. It would be such a waste not to.”

Kyungsoo sent him a small smile, “I think it’s more complicated than you believe.”

Perhaps if Baekhyun and Kyungsoo weren’t so busy in their thoughts, they would have seen their knights staring at them with a knowing look on their faces. The knights were all thinking the same thing…it was hard to deny that something was happening between Baekhyun and Kyungsoo.


	20. The Secret Scrolls

_I still remember how I felt when I saw the altar for the first time. It was such a beautiful sight and I still remember what I thought when I saw Baekhyun and Kyungsoo standing under it. I realized then and there, that they were the key to ending the disagreement between our kingdoms. It dawned on me, and on the rest of the knights, that Baekhyun and Kyungsoo could unite the kingdoms just like it was supposed to happen between Prince Jiyong and Princess Chaerin._

_The sunlight was shining down on them and it seemed as though they were meant to be…no… I know for a fact that they were meant to be._

_I also began to notice that my brother, Jongin, was developing feelings for Chanyeol, though I didn’t say anything about that either. That playful banter was all just a front to hide what he was feeling._

_Jongdae and I never really spoke about these things until recently…but anyways…it’s funny. I thought that perhaps…those two could stop this silly feud. I was sick and tired of denying my friends and I wanted Solaris and Monalet to get along. But…I suppose that it was all wishful thinking…_

_I feel I was selfish…if I could go back in time, I would do so many things differently._


	21. Chapter 21

_“Baekhyun,” Kyungsoo whispered as he leaned into the Solaris prince. His small hand was covering the side of his mouth as if he was about to tell a secret._

_“Yes Kyungsoo?” The much younger Baekhyun answered with a tooth missing in the front._

_“You’ll be my best friend no matter what right?” The young Monalet prince asked as his eyes sparkled with curiosity._

_The Solaris prince nodded vigorously, “Of course! I want to be with you always.”_

_Kyungsoo grinned wide, his chubby cheeks going up with him. “Me too Baekhyun! My knights are trained to protect me, but I want them to protect you too!”_

_Baekhyun laughed out a high pitched laugh, which was normal for a young boy to have. “My knights will protect you too!”_

_Kyungsoo nodded, causing the big hat he was supposed to grow into one day to fall over his face._

The Solaris prince jolted awake as he sat up in his bed. He let out heavy breaths as his hands threw his hair back. What was that? A dream? About him as a child? He shook his head as he did his best to remember what he had just seen as he slept. He dreamt of himself as a child…but that wasn’t the part that alarmed him. Kyungsoo…he had dreamt of Kyungsoo as a child. The strange thing was…it didn’t seem like a dream. He looked up at his ceiling as he pondered over it. It seemed more like a memory than a dream. Everything was so clear and it seemed so…real. He licked his lips as he rested his head on his hand. What was that?

He heard a small knock come from the entrance to his room and his head lifted towards the sound. Chanyeol and Jongdae peeked their heads in, “Baekhyun?” They questioned as they walked in. The sun was barely making itself visible in the horizon, signaling that it was about time they head to the clearing to meet up with their friends.

Baekhyun gave them a small smile, pushing the dream to the back of his mind. “Good morning.”

“Get up, it’s time to go.” Jongdae told him.

“Unless you want to wait until your parents get up so they can pester you over the Solaris ball.” Chanyeol teased.

Baekhyun quickly got out of bed and began to get ready, “I’m up.” He replied.

The knights giggled and looked at each other, then back at Baekhyun.

“Hey…Baekhyun, Jongdae and I were actually talking about the ball last night in our private quarters.”

Baekhyun looked over at them, “Oh?”

“Well…we were thinking…you need to bring someone, right?”

“Yeah…according to my parents.”

“Well…it is a masquerade…we were wondering…what if you brought…uh…”

Baekhyun furrowed his brows as he saw Chanyeol squirm in place. “Bring who?”

“We were thinking…” Jongdae piped in, “Maybe…Kyungsoo?”

Baekhyun’s eyes widened and he felt his cheeks begin to heat up, “Wha--what?”

“We were just thinking, because he would be more than happy to help. And…you get along really well.” Chanyeol told him. Of course he was telling the truth, but the knight also had his own personal reasons why he thought Kyungsoo should accompany Baekhyun.

Jongdae nodded vigorously, “Yes. His face is going to be covered with a mask anyway. No one will know.” Jongdae wanted Baekhyun to bring Kyungsoo. He knew that something like this could be the first step to bringing the kingdoms together. He understood that Baekhyun and Kyungsoo were the keys to being able to unite both the kingdoms.

Baekhyun gulped and turned around as he got dressed. “I’ll think about it.” He replied. He wasn’t sure what else to reply. Why was he suddenly feeling so embarrassed with the thought of asking Kyungsoo to accompany him? He knows for a fact that if it would have been anyone else he would have simply replied with a smirk and “no”. But why did the thought of bringing Kyungsoo cause his heart to accelerate? Is it possible that perhaps he saw Kyungsoo as more than a friend? The thought scared him. But it was something he couldn’t simply ignore.

Baekhyun felt suffocated inside his room. Not only did he have a dream to ponder over, but now he had feelings that he would need to stress over.

***

“Ever heard of a scavenger hunt?” Chanyeol asked as the Solaris knights looked at the Monalets. They had all arrived at the clearing around the same time. And this time, it was the Solarian’s turn to think of an activity for them to do.

Jongin tilted his head to the side and scoffed, “Of course! What do you take us for?”

Jongdae nodded, “Alright. As children we would do scavenger hunts often and we were wondering…if you guys would be interested?”

Minseok’s eyes shined as he nodded vigorously. “Yes! We used to do scavenger hunts too! We would team up and each team would name something that needed to found. We then needed to bring those items back to the secret clearing.”

Baekhyun smiled at him and his eyes slowly made their way towards Kyungsoo. The Monalet prince was grinning wide, visibly excited for the scavenger hunt about to take place. Baekhyun had been able to push the dream to the back of his mind. It was just a dream after all, there was no need to feel as though it actually meant anything.

“Alright, let’s make teams.” Minseok said as he narrowed his eyes at everyone.

Kyungsoo nodded, “Alright, how are we supposed to do that?”

Chanyeol pouted as he thought. “Well...as children we would grab pebbles of all kinds of sizes. The ones that got pebbles similar in size would be placed in a team together.”

Jongin laughed, “How peculiar, someone I met once did it like that.”

Chanyeol smiled, “It’s a Solaris thing I suppose.”

Kyungsoo smiled as he tilted his head, “I think I remember meeting someone like that too.”

The six of them began searching around the clearing for a pebble that stood out to them. After a short while, they all gathered in the center by the tree. The teams were as follows: Chanyeol was paired with Jongin, Minseok with Jongdae, and Baekhyun with Kyungsoo.

“You got a winner Minseok.” Jongdae told him proudly. Minseok merely laughed at him.

“Alright, what do we have to find?” Chanyeol asked them.

Jongdae pondered as he looked at Minseok. Minseok shrugged as he gave him a small smile, causing his cheeks to go up slightly.

Jongdae looked back at them, “A purple flower.”

Chanyeol nodded, “Alright and we say…” He looked over at Jongin who looked just as thoughtful.

“Red sand!” Jongin hollered out.

Chanyeol laughed and nodded, “Sounds difficult.”

Jongin shrugged, “I have spoken.”

Kyungsoo sent them a smug smile, “And the last item will be seaweed.”

“Seaweed?” Jongdae questioned.

Kyungsoo nodded, “Yes, seaweed.”

Jongin stuck his tongue out at him, “That’s easy.”

Baekhyun giggled, “Alright we got our items…now go!”

Once he yelled it out, the teams all ran out of the secret clearing. They laughed as they all tried to squeeze out of the entrance at the same time. The scavenger hunt had just begun.

***

Chanyeol and Jongin were the first to break away from the rest of them. They quickly ran away, but Jongin suddenly hid behind a shrub and kneeled down.

“Jongin,” Chanyeol spoke, “What are you—“

“Sh!” Jongin shushed as he pulled Chanyeol next to him.

Chanyeol scoffed as he kneeled next to the Monalet knight. “We should look for the toughest thing on the list first. The rest should be really easy.”

Jongin nodded in agreement. “I think we should get the red sand first. We can’t risk them following us and finding it.”

Chnayeol smirked and raised his eyebrow, “Where exactly are we going to find it?”

Jongin grinned wide, “That’s easy. It’s a location that I am almost positive Kyungsoo and Minseok have forgotten about.” The Monalet knight began to creep away from the shrub as he gestured for Chanyeol follow him.

“Forgot about?” Chanyeol questioned.

Jongin nodded as he had a wide grin on his face, “Yes. The stream in the secret clearing. The bottom has red sand.”

Chnayeol laughed, “And how are you sure that they forgot about it?”

“Because it has sentimental value to me.” Jongin replied proudly. It was almost as if he wanted Chanyeol to ask why.

The elder simply looked ahead and nodded. He got up from his kneeling position and walked normally. He knew the younger would get riled up and begin to get fidgety…which is exactly what happened. Jongin stood up and looked over at Chanyeol with wide eyes and lips pouted. Chanyeol fought the smile that wanted to make itself visible by piercing his lips together. Jongin was cute even when he wasn’t trying.

“Chanyeol…don’t you want you to know why it has sentimental value to me?”

Chanyeol looked over at him, “Hm? Oh…sure…if you want to tell me.”

Jongin furrowed his brows, but then smiled as he realized he was being teased. “Well, if you must know…I saved someone from drowning there.”

“Wow! Really?”

Jongin smiled proudly once again, “Yes! I don’t remember it very well, but all I know is that I did it as a child. I think…it used to be this boy I was friends with…” The younger shrugged as he gave up trying to remember. “Maybe Taemin.”

“Who?”

“Oh!” Jongin let out as he recalled that Chanyeol had no idea who Taemin was. “He’s one of my best friends. He is a Monalet knight as well.”

Chanyeol nodded, “Ah…I see.” Of course Jongin knew other people in his life. That much was obvious. Chanyeol could tell that this Taemin person was important by the way Jongin’s eyes lit up. But, who was he to be feeling a bit annoyed by that? Jongin could do whatever he wanted.

“Maybe you can meet him sometime.” Jongin told him as they continued towards the clearing.

Chanyeol sent him a small smile. “That would be really nice, but I don’t think he would want to meet me.”

“Taemin is really nice. I think he would accept you.” Jongin looked up as he pondered. The more he thought…the more he realized that Taemin meeting him would be a great idea!

“Chanyeol! I think if we want our kingdoms to unite we should introduce others to each other!”

Chanyeol looked over at the excited baby bear as he smiled wide. Chanyeol felt his chest sprawl with warmth as he looked over Jongin. The younger was absolutely amazing, whoever ended up with him was certainly a lucky individual.

“I think the way that our kingdoms can unite is by having the next heirs marry…” Chanyeol replied just above a whisper.

Jongin’s smile faded slowly, “What?”

Chanyeol shrugged, “it’s just a thought.”

Jongin gave him a small scoff, “I mean…you’re not wrong. But, I think we should start small first. Even though we both know the truth.”

“Truth?”

Jongin scoffed, “Don’t act dumb now.” He told him as he raised an eyebrow. “We both know what’s going on between our two heirs.”

Chanyeol shook his head as he looked ahead and tried hiding a smile, “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

***

Baekhyun and Kyungsoo walked side by side as Kyungsoo lead the way.

“Kyungsoo, where are we going?” Baekhyun asked.

Kyungsoo smirked, “To get the seaweed. Jongin and Minseok know where to get it, but I know for a fact that they will get it last. Which is not the smartest idea.”

Baekhyun raised an eyebrow, “Why?”

“Because the tide will eventually get higher. The seaweed will be really hard to get if you come to get it later.”

Baekhyun scoffed, “What is seaweed anyway?”

Kyungsoo looked over at Baekhyun, “Seaweed is a plant that grows at the bottom of the ocean. But it washes up on shore sometimes.”

“Oh…have you been to the bottom of the ocean?”

Kyungsoo laughed and shook his head. “No, the sea is vast and deep. I think it’s impossible to get to the bottom.”

Baekhyun smirked. “Then how do you know that seaweed grows at the bottom?”

Kyungsoo let out a scoff and shoved him playfully. “You were planning that weren’t you?”

Baekhyun giggled, “Of course.”

Kyungsoo grinned wide at him and took his hand, “Come on, we’re almost there.”

Baekhyun gave Kyungsoo’s hand a gentle squeeze as he allowed the Monalet prince to take him towards the sea. He could already taste the salty air as they got closer. He let out a loud exhale as he smelled the ocean. Baekhyun couldn’t remember the last time had come to the sea.

The princes walked downhill and Baekhyun finally saw the sand and water as they made contact with each other. The sun was bright above their heads making the day warm, but due to the location, a bit breezy.

The both of them went towards the water and Baekhyun saw the tide leaving something behind as it retreated back. It was a light green and looked like some kind of strange animal. He pouted as he saw Kyungsoo approach it.

“What is that?” Baekhyun asked.

Kyungsoo stood over it then suddenly bent down and picked it up. “Seaweed.” He responded.

Baekhyun eyed it curiously as Kyungsoo held it in between his hands. “It looks…revolting.”

Kyungsoo laughed and held it out towards him, “It’s not that bad.”

Baekhyun shook his head, “No thank you.”

Kyungsoo looked down at it and smiled, “Alright, now we just need the two other things.”

Baekhyun’s eyes looked over the prince as he eyed the seaweed. Kyungsoo certainly was a breathtaking individual. Maybe…Jongdae and Chanyeol’s idea about bringing him to the ball wasn’t such a bad one.

“Hey…Kyungsoo?”

Kyungsoo looked up at him, “Yeah?”

Baekhyun gulped as he felt his palms suddenly go sweaty. “Err…I want to ask you something.”

Kyungsoo nodded in acknowledgement, “Go on.”

“Well…it’s because…” Baekhyun’s eyes darted down and he felt his cheeks heat up. Why was this so hard? It was just a ball.

“There is a—“

“Sh!” Kyungsoo suddenly shushed.

Baekhyun’s eyes looked up at him, “Hm?”

“Wait here.” Kyungsoo commanded barely above a whisper.

Kyungsoo suddenly dropped the seaweed and got in front of Baekhyun defensively. Baekhyun wasn’t sure what was going on, but he reached for his own sword. He suddenly heard a voice and Kyungsoo turned around to look at him. The Monalet’s eyes were wide with worry.

“Baekhyun, can you take that emblem off?”

“Wha—“

“Don’t question, just answer.”

Baekhyun shook his head, “No. It’s attached to my outfit.”

Kyungsoo bit his bottom lip and his eyes scanned around the area, looking for any way to conceal Baekhyun.

“Kyungsoo, what’s going on?”

“It’s the head knight of Monalet, I heard his voice.”

Baekhyun gulped, “Maybe if he meets me then—“

“No! He isn’t like Jongin or Minseok! He will kill you on the spot no questions asked.”

“Your highness? Is that you?”

Baekhyun looked over Kyungsoo’s shoulder and saw nothing. But, judging by the voice, he would guess that the knight was very close.

“Kyungsoo, just talk to him, drive him away. I’ll be here.”

Kyungsoo shook his head, “I am not leaving you when I know there is a chance you could be in danger.”

Baekhyun felt his heart accelerate once more as he looked into Kyungsoo’s eyes. His eyes held something indescribable in them. They seemed so concerned for him…it made Baekhyun feel things that maybe he shouldn’t be feeling.

“Kyungsoo, please, that is our best option.”

Kyungsoo held Baekhyun’s wrist tightly, “There is a cave right over there with a very small opening. Can you squeeze into it?”

Baekhyun turned around and saw what looked like a huge boulder by the sea. The only thing that revealed it wasn’t was a small opening near the bottom of it. He thinks he could squeeze in, but it may rip up his robe.

“I can.” Baekhyun replied.

Kyungsoo nodded, “I’ll distract him, please go now.”

Baekhyun nodded vigorously and ran towards the opening, Kyungsoo watched as the prince went into the water and made his way into the hole.

“Your majesty! I thought I heard your voice.”

Kyungsoo turned around and saw the head knight smiling at him. He felt his stomach churn. Did he see Baekhyun go into the cave?

“Yes…I wanted to visit the sea before I continue the investigation.”

The head knight gave him a small bow, “Of course…but where are your knights?”

Kyungsoo pierced his lips together, “They should be around here somewhere. We were planning on going for a swim.”

“I see…what are you doing so close to Solaris grounds?”

“Hm?”

“Surely you knew that we are very close.” The head knight raised an eyebrow.

“Err…no…I didn’t actually.”

“I know what you’re doing. No need to act clueless, I know it all.”

Kyungsoo’s eyes widened and his hand reached for his sword, “Do you?”

“Of course. I knew from the moment you were born that you were the chosen one.”

Kyungsoo’s eyes narrowed at him, “What are you talking about?”

He laughed, “You’re here to investigate Solarians! As am I. I hate them as much as you do.”

“Err…of course…that’s exactly why I’m here.” Kyungsoo responded. He was a bit confused with how things were going, but he tried to keep up whatever façade he needed to in order to keep Baekhyun safe.

The head knight nodded, “Perhaps we can look together.”

Kyungsoo shook his head, “No, I prefer to work alone with my knights.”

“I see…well I will be on my way anyway. I wasn’t planning on stopping at the sea. I simply heard your voice and wanted to see what you were up to.”

Kyungsoo gave him a forced smile, “Alright. I will see you back in Monalet.”

The head knight gave him a small bow and made his way back. Kyungsoo watched him until he was out of sight. He made sure there was no way the knight would be back and then he ran towards the opening to the cave.

He got closer and instead of calling for Baekhyun, squeezed inside. It was a very tight fit, but he made it inside. There was small puddle from where the water had entered, but that wasn’t what was important right now.

He looked up and saw Baekhyun with his sword out in an attack position, ready to defend himself. He instead let out a sigh of relief. “Next time, give me a heads up it’s you. I could have struck you.” Baekhyun put away the sword and placed his hand on his hip.

Kyungsoo scoffed as he stood up from his kneeled position, “At least I know I don’t have worry too much over you.”

Baekhyun pouted at him, “What do you take me for? Some imbecile that can’t defend himself? I may be nice to you, but I can hold my own.”

Kyungsoo laughed, “Believe me, I learned that when I dueled you.”

Baekhyun smiled at him and sat on a rock by the edge of the cave. It was very tiny, barely enough room to maybe fit about four people. There was hardly any light, instead it was illuminated by some glowing light blue mushrooms that seemed to radiate light.

Kyungsoo stood next to him and placed his hand behind Baekhyun’s neck to massage it. The elder shut his eyes and placed his head by Kyungsoo’s hip. Kyungsoo looked down at him and felt content knowing that Baekhyun felt comfortable. He loved being the reason behind the prince’s happiness. A strong breeze blew in from the small opening, causing Kyungsoo to shut his eyes. Then they both felt a small splash of water. Kyungsoo opened his eyes and saw that the light had stopped shining in from the outside.

Baekhyun narrowed his eyes and he walked towards what was once the opening. He reached out and felt the rough surface of a boulder that had just blocked their only way out.

Baekhyun looked back at Kyungsoo who had his eyes as wide as Baekhyun’s. He quickly bent down next to Baekhyun. “Ok, the wind must have caused a big wave to block our way out. But we can just push this away.”

Baekhyun nodded, “Alright…1, 2…3!”

The both of them pushed with all of their might, but it was useless. The only way to remove this was from the outside.

***

Baekhyun sat in the cave, hands rubbing his head. He wasn’t sure how long they had been trapped in here. All he knew was that his voice was hoarse from yelling so much. Kyungsoo was still trying to push the boulder out of the way, but Baekhyun knew that it was no use. He wasn’t sure if they would even be able to make it out of here by today.

He shivered as some of the water from below made contact with his skin. The inside of the cave had become unexpectedly cold due to all of the water that had made its way inside.

Kyungsoo let out a sigh as he stood over the boulder. They needed to get out of here. They couldn’t even measure the time while they were in there. There was no trace of sunlight and no way to tell if the sun or moon was out. He walked over to sit next to Baekhyun. He placed his chin to rest on his shoulder. All he could hope is that his knights would come looking for them.

“How—how long do you think we—we—we’ve been in here?” Baekhyun asked, stuttering.

Kyungsoo shrugged, “I’m not sure.” He replied as he looked over at Baekhyun. The Solaris prince was shivering as he hugged himself.

“Are you alright?” Kyungsoo asked.

Baekhyun nodded, “Yes, it’s just really cold in here.”

Kyungsoo then realized that although he was used to this, Baekhyun was not. Monalet was normal for having lower temperatures than other regions. Their clothes were made so that they can be resistant towards the wind or anything that could make them feel cold. Baekhyun’s kingdom on the other hand, was warm. It was known for the sun and its warm effects.

Kyungsoo pierced his lips together as he decided to remove his first layer of clothing.

Baekhyun eyed the Monalet prince, “Wha—what are you doing?”

Kyungsoo took off the first layer and wrapped it around Baekhyun. “You’re cold.” He responded.

Baekhyun shook his head, “No, I’m fine. You shouldn’t be cold because of me.”

Kyungsoo wrapped his arm around Baekhyun and pulled him in so the latter could be closer. “Nonsense. I am used to this, you’re not.”

Baekhyun blinked as he suddenly felt himself get pressed into Kyungsoo. It’s not that he minded this, on the contrary he quite enjoyed it. What he didn’t like was how his cheeks heated up and his chest began to swell up in joy. Is this what friends are supposed to feel for each other?

He snuggled into Kyungsoo even more, allowing himself to take in the latter’s warmth. “Thank you.” He whispered.

Kyungsoo shook his head as he smiled, “No need to thank me. I want to take care of you.”

Baekhyun smiled, “Hey Kyungsoo?”

“Yeah?”

“I didn’t get to ask you the question outside.”

Kyungsoo scoffed, “What was it?”

Baekhyun looked at him, “I don’t know if it’s the best time, but I want to invite you somewhere.”

Kyungsoo raised an eyebrow, “Where?”

Baekhyun gave him a crooked smile as he realized that he sincerely did want Kyungsoo to come with him, “In Solaris they hold a masquerade ball every year.”

Kyungsoo’s furrowed his eyebrows, “Yeah?” This couldn’t possibly be leading where he thought, right?

Baekhyun giggled, “Would you like to accompany me as the prince’s partner?”

Kyungsoo opened his mouth and then shut it as his eyes widened, “You mean…go into Solaris?”

Baekhyun laughed, “Yes, but don’t worry. It’s a masquerade ball. No one will recognize you at all.”

“But…isn’t that dangerous?”

“Well…yes…but we are already breaking rules. What’s one more?”

Kyungsoo gave him a small smile back. Like this, with the soft light illuminating Baekhyun’s face, he looked angelic. He had his lips pierced together in anticipation, waiting for Kyungsoo’s answer.

“Alright.” Kyungsoo replied. “I’ll go with you.”

Baekhyun smiled wide and let out a small squeal as he suddenly went forward and kissed Kyungsoo’s cheek. He wasn’t sure what compelled him to do it or what made him think it was alright to do so, but he did. After he parted from him, Kyungsoo was staring at him with shocked eyes. Baekhyun suddenly realized what he had just done and he felt his cheeks heat up.

“Err…uh…sorry.”

Kyungsoo’s eyes suddenly narrowed and he gave Baekhyun an intense stare.

Baekhyun gulped and he felt his palms get sweaty. “I’m sorry. I really am. I just…I don’t know what came over me.”

Kyungsoo shook his head, “No, it’s fine.”

Baekhyun bit his bottom lip and he noticed Kyungsoo’s eyes darted down to them. Baekhyun raised an eyebrow and parted his lips a bit, Kyungsoo didn’t take his eyes off of them.

Baekhyun’s eyes slowly made their way towards Kyungsoo’s lips. How did he never notice them before? They looked so soft and…inviting.

“Hey Baekhyun?”

“Yeah?”

“If I try something…promise not to get mad?”

Baekhyun shook his head slowly, “I won’t.”

Kyungsoo slowly began to lean into Baekhyun. The Solaris prince suddenly remembered his dream. The young boy in his dream had been Kyungsoo and Baekhyun was in the dream too, as a boy the same age. Perhaps…Chanyeol was onto something when he said he remembered Jongin saving him from sometime before. Because the way Kyungsoo gazed at him with such intense eyes seemed oddly familiar. And the way Baekhyun wanted nothing more than for Kyungsoo in his life suddenly seemed like déjà vu.

Baekhyun shut his eyes once he felt Kyungsoo’s lips press against his. It started off small, but Baekhyun’s hand then traveled to hold Kyungsoo’s. The Monalet prince took hold and squeezed. Baekhyun then began to part his lips, Kyungsoo tilted his head to deepen it. The Solaris prince then perched himself atop of Kyungsoo’s lap, the Monalet prince held him firmly around the waist.

Something suddenly clicked in Baekhyun’s mind and he realized…this was wrong. He opened his eyes wide and pushed himself off Kyungsoo.

The Monalet prince was not expecting the sudden rejection and he let go of Baekhyun once he felt the Solaris prince’s hands push against his chest. Baekhyun stood up and put his hand through his hair, panting heavily.

Kyungsoo suddenly realized what had just happened and he licked his lips before putting his head down in shame. He let out a sigh as he shook his head.

“What are we doing?” Baekhyun questioned, but it sounded more like a statement.

Kyungsoo kept his head down, not bothering to face him, “You weren’t supposed to want me back.” He whispered.

Baekhyun held his breath before answering, “What?”

Kyungsoo stood up, eyebrows furrowed and voice icy, “You weren’t supposed to like me back Baekhyun! If I liked you, then that would have been fine…I would have married and gotten over you eventually. Why did you have to go and…and…” Kyungsoo shut his eyes as he turned away.

Baekhyun scoffed and bit his bottom lip, “You think I control this?! You think I want to have feelings for you?! This is…the worst thing that could have happened to us.”

Kyungsoo chuckled, “You should have killed me that day you found me defenseless.”

Baekhyun’s eyes widened and he let out a gasp. “You stupid—“Baekhyun walked up to the Monalet and shoved him onto the ground.

Kyungsoo made no attempt to defend himself and merely looked up at him.

“Don’t say things like that!” Baekhyun yelled at him. “And defend yourself!”

Kyungsoo shook his head, “No. Instead…why don’t you kill me? That way we won’t fall deeper. We won’t have to suffer heartbreak.”

Baekhyun felt tears sting his eyes and he gritted his teeth together, “Is that what you want?” Baekhyun bent down and grabbed Kyungsoo by the collar. He pressed him into the cave wall as tears threatened to fall, “Listen, you can tell me whatever you want, but saving you was the best mistake of my life. If I hurt you now, the only one that will suffer heartbreak is me. Is that what you want?”

Kyungsoo gave him a small smile as his heart began to accelerate. “Kiss me.”

“What?”

Kyungsoo licked his lips, “After this, we won’t talk about it. We will get out of this cave and forget this happened.”

Baekhyun knew it was wrong, he shouldn’t do it. He knew he would only want more. In addition, it was in Solaris tradition that one should only kiss the one they are courting. But, they have already broken so many rules…what’s one more? He leaned in and kissed Kyungsoo again. This one was not like the first. Baekhyun’s arms let go of Kyungsoo and his hands pressed against the wall. Kyungsoo’s hand grabbed Baekhyun by the hair and the other went down to his waist. This kiss held want, desire and all of the forbidden emotions they had for one another. It didn’t matter anymore…nothing mattered…they had become each other’s world.

They had to part quickly when a sudden noise came from outside.

“What was that?” Kyungsoo breathed.

Baekhyun’s eyes darted towards the boulder that had locked them in and saw that it was moving. Someone was moving it out of the way.

Baekhyun’s eyebrows furrowed and he faced his body towards it. He pulled out his sword and stood in front of Kyungsoo. He got into his defensive position and made sure Kyungsoo was safely behind him. Baekhyun’s grip on the sword tightened once the first glimmer of light made its way inside, but he was instead greeted with a familiar face.

“Baekhyun!” Jongdae yelled out, relief evident in his voice.

“Are they in there?” He heard Minseok say from behind him.

“Yes, both of them.” Jongdae replied.

Baekhyun let out a sigh of relief as he put his sword away. Kyungsoo walked right by him without even sparing a glance. Baekhyun felt a sting, but ignored it. Those stupid feelings couldn’t make themselves known.

“We searched everywhere! We were so worried.” Jongin told them. He ran straight towards Kyungsoo and hugged him tightly.

Baekhyun looked at Kyungsoo who was acting as though nothing had happened. He was behaving like they didn’t just do anything…he knew it was what they agreed on, but he suddenly felt so empty. He wanted to go behind Kyungsoo and wrap his arms around the shorter’s waist. He wanted so badly to rest his chin on his shoulder as Kyungsoo placed his own hands on top of Baekhyun’s.

“Baekhyun, are you alright?” Jongdae asked.

Baekhyun looked over at his knights and flashed them a small smile. “Of course I am. But I think it’s best we head home. I am feeling very tired from being in there for so long.”

Minseok nodded, “I would imagine you would be.”

“We won by the way.” Jongdae replied smugly.

“No! You didn’t get the seaweed.” Chanyeol interjected loudly.

Baekhyun scoffed, “Who cares who won? We should go home.”

Baekhyun had a point. The sun overhead told them that it would be best to go back to the castle. If not, then people could begin to get suspicious.

“Baekhyun,” Kyungsoo called out. Baekhyun visibly flinched and he looked over at the latter. Jongin was draped over him and was resting his head on his shoulder. That usually didn’t bug Baekhyun, but right now, it was agitating him very much.

“Are you sure you want to leave already?” Kyungsoo asked.

Baekhyun looked away and walked in between his knights. “Yes.”

Kyungsoo wanted to talk about what had just happened. He didn’t want to just…leave things like this. But, he didn’t know how to talk about it with the knights standing there. They would need to go somewhere private. However…he also knew that Baekhyun and he had agreed to not speak about it. It seemed wrong…he didn’t want to leave things like this…he wanted Baekhyun. And now that he knew Baekhyun wanted him back…he wasn’t sure if he could simply forget that it happened.

Baekhyun made his way away from the shore and onto his horse. “I think I should be leaving now.” Baekhyun said as he was on top. “My father will be getting very suspicious if I don’t go home right away.”

Chanyeol and Jongdae climbed on top of their own horses next to him, “We’ll be seeing you guys.” They called out.

Kyungsoo bit his bottom lip as he saw Baekhyun simply send them a small smile and behave as though nothing had happened. He understood that Baekhyun couldn’t talk about it now…but why couldn’t he at least look at him?

“Next time, we can do a new scavenger hunt!” Jongin called out as he saw them turning their horses the other way.

Jongdae sent him a wide grin, “Next time, Minseok and I will win for sure.”

***

Kyungsoo and his knights stayed at the shore of the beach. The sun was telling them that it was about time to head back to Monalet, but he couldn’t seem to find the motivation to leave.

“Hey Kyungsoo, you want to stay a little longer?” Minseok asked as he sent him a wide grin.

Kyungsoo gulped and looked away, “We can leave.”

“I almost won today!” Jongin exclaimed.

Minseok shook his head, “No you didn’t. You think your red sand thing was so clever, but you forgot that we were all there when you saved someone as a kid.”

Jongin blinked as he looked over at his brother. “You remembered that?”

Minseok nodded, “Of course! It was long ago, but I remember perfectly how you screamed out when you went to get him.”

“Hey guys…” Kyungsoo called out softly.

The knights looked over at him, “Yes?”

Kyungsoo slowly made his eyes look up in their direction. “I promised to never keep secrets from you, remember?”

Minseok and Jongin nodded, “Yes.”

Kyungsoo looked down as he felt a heavy weight come onto his shoulders. He knew what they would probably say, but a promise is a promise. “I…I know who I want to take to the Moon festival.”

The knights both gasped in unison.

“Really?” Minseok asked.

“Who?” Jongin inquired right after him.

Kyungsoo wet his lips and cleared his throat, “Baekhyun…I want to take Baekhyun.”

Minseok’s eyes furrowed as he threw his head back a bit, “Kyungsoo, you know you can’t do that. Besides, if you go in a pair, it can only be with someone you hope to be with.”

Kyungsoo stared at him, eyes intense. He didn’t back down from Minseok’s stare and the eldest knight slowly began to realize what Kyungsoo was trying to tell them.

“Kyungsoo…” Jongin began, “What happened while you and Baekhyun were alone?”

Kyungsoo let out a small sigh as he looked into the water. It was time he told his knights what had happened. He was about to reveal to them what he had realized when he and Baekhyun were left alone in the cave.

***

“Baekhyun, you didn’t talk the whole ride back. Is everything alright?” Chanyeol asked as the moon lay above their heads.

Baekhyun shrugged, “Yes. Everything is fine.” Technically, he wasn’t lying. He was fine physically and nothing bad had happened…he had simply awoken the feelings he was suppressing this whole time. Why Kyungsoo? Out of all of the people in the world…why a Monalet?

The prince cleared his throat and decided he would tell his knights the truth. He had lied to them once and he couldn’t risk them not trusting him again. “Actually…there is something you should know.”

“Baekhyun!” The king shouted, interrupting their conversation. Baekhyun shut his eyes and let out a loud exhale as he turned to face the door.

“I will tell you when I get back.” He told them before opening the door to his room and walking outside to the throne room. His knights followed behind him on instinct. Wherever Baekhyun went, his knights were never far behind.

Upon arrival to the throne room, they saw the king and queen sitting on their chairs. They had scrolls settled in front of them and judging by his father’s gaze, Baekhyun knew that they were plans for the Solaris ball.

“Baekhyun, sit.” The king commanded.

Baekhyun pierced his lips together and walked towards his parents, only to settle himself in front of them. Baekhyun’s knights stayed a distance away, standing in place.

“Baekhyun, we wish to speak to you about the ball.” The queen began.

Baekhyun gave them a small nod.

“We have decided to send a letter to Taeyeon first thing in the morning.”

Baekhyun tilted his head and furrowed his brows, “Why is that necessary?”

“She will accompany you.”

Baekhyun let out a small scoff, “And what makes you think I wish to go with her?”

“You left us no choice Baekhyun!” The queen yelled. “You have yet to court anyone!”

“So that gives you the right to decide for me!?” Baekhyun shouted back, agitated.

“Do not yell at your mother!”

Baekhyun glared at his father and stuck his jaw out. “I am not going with Taeyeon.” He replied angrily.

“You have no choice. The decision has been made.” The king told him.

Baekhyun shook his head, “I can’t go with Taeyeon because I…” Kyungsoo flashed in his mind for a split second. He thought about how the younger made him feel and how he had actually accepted to come with him. Baekhyun stood up, “I have already courted and asked someone to come with me.” At this Jongdae and Chanyeol’s eyes widened and they lost their composure for a second.

The king and queen’s mouth gaped open, but they quickly shut them again. “Baekhyun…” The queen began, “You better not be lying just to avoid going with Taeyeon.”

Baekhyun shook his head, “I would never lie about this. I am being honest. I already asked someone to accompany me to the ball and he…” Baekhyun gulped as he choked on his words a bit, “he agreed.”

A smile slowly began to spread across their features. Baekhyun could see that they had just grown beyond content with what they had just heard.

“That is wonderful!” The queen squealed out. “Who is it? Someone we know?”

Baekhyun shook his head, “He is…someone I met while traveling with my knights.”

The king twisted his mouth to the side, “Is his kingdom near?”

Baekhyun nodded, “Yes, but I wish to keep him a surprise until the ball.”

The king and queen exchanged a glance and then looked back at their son.

“A childhood friend?”

Baekhyun shook his head, “No, someone I met recently.”

The queen smiled, “Jongdae, Chanyeol, do you know who he is referring to?”

Jongdae straightened up, “Err…yes.”

“It is not some hooligan?” The king asked.

Chanyeol shook his head, “No, he is actually very well-mannered and kind.”

The queen nodded as she grinned wide, “Very well Baekhyun. I am excited to see him the day of the ball.”

Baekhyun sent them a small smile and gave them a bow. “May I be excused?”

“Of course dear.” The queen replied.

Baekhyun turned around and headed towards the exit. His knights left right behind him, leaving the king and queen alone.

“You really had to ask the question about childhood friend?” The queen asked her husband as she teased him.

The king let out a sigh, “I feared that he met that…boy again.”

The queen giggled, “I’m sure we would know. His memories surely would have come back if he did.”

***

“You…kissed him?!”

“Sh! Not so loud!” Baekhyun shushed as he lifted his hands up to cover his knight’s mouths.

“Baekhyun, this is really dangerous.” Jongdae told him as he took down his hand.

Baekhyun sighed, “I know…we promised not to talk about it anymore.”

“You can’t be with him.” Jongdae told him.

Baekhyun face palmed, “I know that.”

“But…you like him.” Chanyeol spoke up.

Baekhyun looked over at him and shoved him, “Shut up.”

“It’s true.” Chanyeol replied. “And I see nothing wrong with that. Maybe…it’s a good thing.”

Jongdae punched his arm, “And how exactly is that a good thing?”

Chanyeol shrugged and looked behind Baekhyun to see a white pigeon scratching its beak as it stood by the window. The knight smiled and looked at the prince, “I don’t know…but it looks like Kyungsoo sent you something.”

Baekhyun’s eyes widened and he turned around. The pigeon was poking at the floor, it was probably hungry. Baekhyun sprinted over to it, but not before grabbing seeds and scattering them on the floor. The prince took the satchel while the pigeon ate. He all but tore it open and unraveled the scroll inside:

_Baekhyun,_

_We need to talk about today. You know exactly what I am referring to. It is clear that you want me as much as I want you. Please, meet me tomorrow at the clearing._

_I told my knights what happened, therefore, they will be coming along._

_But, they have promised to leave us alone to speak. Please reply to me with your answer._

_I know we promised to pretend as though it didn’t happen…but I cannot do that._

_Please…at least let us speak of it in person._

_-Kyungsoo_

“What does it say?” Chanyeol asked.

Baekhyun rolled the scroll back up and let out a sigh as he shook his head, “He wants to meet tomorrow.”

***

Kyungsoo stood in his room, pacing back and forth.

“Kyungsoo, does he usually reply quickly?” Minseok asked as he sat on Kyungsoo’s bed.

Kyungsoo sighed as he stopped pacing. “It’s no use.” He said. “He isn’t going to reply. We promised not to talk about it.” He placed himself in between Jongin and Minseok. “I should just…forget it happened.”

Jongin looked Kyungsoo over. He had never seen the prince like this…ever!

“Kyungsoo…you really like him?”

Kyungsoo straightened up and felt his ears go a bit pink, “Of course not.” He answered. “If he doesn’t care enough to reply, then why should I?”

Jongin smiled and hugged him tight, “Stop lying. We can see that you really like him.”

Minseok let out a small chuckle, “We have known it before you even realized.”

Kyungsoo kept a straight face, but his red ears gave away his true feelings. “Stop.”

They suddenly heard the flapping of wings and all three pairs of eyes looked up towards the window. The white pigeon was barely perching itself when Kyungsoo lifted up his finger and gestured for the pigeon to come. The pigeon flew to him and perched himself on Kyungsoo’s wrist. The prince smiled and took the scroll and began to unravel it:

_Kyungsoo,_

_Very well…we shall talk about it tomorrow. My knights will accompany me as well. They have agreed to let us speak alone._

_We can meet in the secret clearing just as always. If you are fine with this arrangement, then there is no need for you to reply. I will take your silence as a yes._

_Goodnight Kyungsoo._

_-Baekhyun_

“What does it say?” Jongin asked as he held the pigeon in between his arms.

“He agreed to meet tomorrow.” Kyungsoo answered.


	22. Chapter 22

_“Mom! Dad! Meet my best friend Kyungsoo!” Young Baekhyun yelled out excitedly._

_Kyungsoo felt the blush begin to creep up on his cheeks as he looked up at Baekhyun’s parents. Chanyeol and Jongdae pulled Kyungsoo’s knights closer to the Solaris king and queen so that they could also introduce them._

_Baekhyun grabbed Kyungsoo’s hand and ran up to his parents. The six year old Kyungsoo felt very shy as he got closer to his friend’s parents._

_Seven year old Baekhyun was enthusiastic, his smile said it all._

“Kyungsoo,” The Monalet prince stirred in his sleep as Jongin tried waking him up.

“Kyungsoo, we have to meet Baekhyun today…” He heard someone whisper. Kyungsoo stirred once again and realized that he needed to wake up. He opened his eyes and saw Minseok and Jongin hovering over him. How long had he been asleep? He could have sworn he dreamt of something, but he couldn’t really remember it.

“What?” Kyungsoo rubbed at his eyes as he let out a grunt. “Is it still early?”

“Yes, did you sleep well? It was difficult to wake you.” Minseok told him.

Kyungsoo could not fall asleep last night. He had so much things on his mind. He knew that his entire focus should be on the watering hole and how he should fix that problem, but he couldn’t get Baekhyun out of his mind. The latter was driving him completely crazy. He kept thinking about how he didn’t realize earlier how he had feelings for Baekhyun. But then he thought that maybe he always knew and he simply denied them this entire time.

Kyungsoo sat up in bed and let out a small yawn, “I’ll get ready.” He told his knights.

***

The sun glistened brightly on the Solaris prince as he stood by the stream in the secret clearing. He knew that he wanted to talk to Kyungsoo about yesterday, but what exactly should he say? Perhaps they just needed to clear things up. They could discuss what had happened and agree that it was something that could not be repeated. Baekhyun knew that it may hurt a bit, but it was something he would have to live with.

“Baekhyun.” Jongdae whispered from behind him.

“Hm?” Baekhyun hummed in response.

“Kyungsoo just got here.”

Baekhyun felt his palms get sweaty and his heart accelerate…just like it’s been doing whenever Kyungsoo was near.

Baekhyun looked over at Jongdae slowly and nodded, “Thanks.” From the corner of his eye, he already saw Chanyeol making his way over to Jongin. Minseok was next to his younger brother, ready to greet Chanyeol. Then the Solaris prince’s eyes wandered to Kyungsoo. The Monalet prince was staring at him with something that Baekhyun couldn’t describe in his eyes. It was a gaze that he had never seen on Kyungsoo before and it was directed towards him. Baekhyun gulped and turned his head to look back at the stream. He felt his cheeks going pink once more and he didn’t know what to do to calm himself.

“Baekhyun, Chanyeol and I are going out with Minseok and Jongin. Will you be alright?”

Baekhyun looked over at Jongdae. Would he be alright? He wasn’t sure.

“I’ll be fine.” Baekhyun answered.

Jongdae nodded, “Alright.” The knight patted his shoulder and gave him a small smile of encouragement before walking off towards Chanyeol. The other Solaris knight was with Jongin and Minseok by the exit of the clearing.

Jongin patted Kyungsoo’s shoulder, catching his attention and diverting his eyes away from the Solaris prince. “Hm?”

“We’re going to be heading out now. If anything, we won’t be too far alright?”

Kyungsoo nodded as he gave Jongin a small smile. “I don’t think this will take too long.”

Minseok came up from behind Jongin, “The faster we leave, the sooner this will be resolved. Let’s go.”

The knights all bent down and crawled out of the small hole one by one. They eventually reached the other side and at first were unsure as to what they should do.

“So…where should we go?” Chanyeol asked.

Minseok shrugged, “We can just stay out here. We can’t hear anything anyway.”

Jongdae looked back at the shrub that hid the hole to their secret clearing. “That would be a good idea.”

Chanyeol cleared his throat, “So…I suppose you know what exactly they are speaking about.”

Minseok nodded, “Of course. Kyungsoo told us.”

“Hey...is it wrong for me to want them to be together?” Jongin asked. His eyes darted to Chanyeol, but quickly looked away.

Chanyeol shook his head, “No…I want them to be happy too.” Of course he was telling the truth. But at the same time…he had his own reason to want the kingdoms to be united.

***

Kyungsoo let out a small sigh as realization hit him. He was now officially alone with Baekhyun. It was now just the two of them in the clearing. He cleared his throat and Baekhyun slowly let out a sigh of his own. He turned his body to face Kyungsoo. The Monalet prince was standing a distance away, visibly nervous. Baekhyun felt just as nervous, although he was doing his best to hide it.

“Hello.” Baekhyun said.

Kyungsoo sent him a small smile, “Good Morning.”

Baekhyun pierced his lips together as he tried to think of ways to lighten up the atmosphere. But his mind was completely blank.

“So, how did you sleep?” Baekhyun managed to say.

Kyungsoo let out a chuckle, “I have slept better.”

Baekhyun smiled at him, “You look a bit tired.”

Kyungsoo rubbed at his eyes as his face looked down to the ground, “I suppose I had too much on my mind last night.”

Baekhyun bit his lip. He knew they couldn’t avoid the topic forever, “I had a lot on my mind last night too.”

Kyungsoo looked up slowly to look him in the eyes, “About yesterday…”

Baekhyun licked his lips, “Look Kyungsoo, I take full responsibility. I’m sorry.”

Kyungsoo furrowed his brows, “What?”

“Well…I don’t know what came over me and obviously it was something that never should have happened.”

Kyungsoo raised an eyebrow, “According to our kingdoms it is something that never should have happened.”

Baekhyun nodded, “Precisely.”

Kyungsoo wet his own lips as he took a step towards him, “What about according to you?”

“Me?”

Kyungsoo nodded, “I know you feel what I feel. Or am I wrong?”

Baekhyun gulped, “And what exactly is that?”

Kyungsoo stopped in his tracks and straightened up. His gaze turned intense as he stared into Baekhyun, “You want me to say it?”

Baekhyun felt his heart fall into the pit of his stomach. He opened his mouth and shut it.

Kyungsoo looked away, his jaw tightening. “I suppose that’s a yes.”

Baekhyun shook his head and his eyes darted down to the ground. “Stop!”

Kyungsoo looked over at him in surprise.

“You’re only going to make this harder for the both of us. Stop…before it’s too late.”

Kyungsoo furrowed his brows and walked directly towards Baekhyun. The Monalet prince knew what he wanted…and it was standing right in front of him. He reached out and grabbed him by the wrists, Baekhyun looked up into Kyungsoo’s eyes. The Monalet prince looked determined, more so than Baekhyun had ever seen him.

“It IS already too late Baekhyun.”

Baekhyun shook his head as he pulled away, nearly falling backwards. “Kyungsoo! This is wrong!” He shouted, eyes getting watery.

Kyungsoo gritted his teeth together, “So what? We just give up? What do we do now then? Pretend it never happened? Pretend that we don’t know how we feel about each other!?”

Baekhyun scowled at him, “This goes against everything we were taught! Our kingdom’s laws are absolute!”

“Oh, so now you decide to start obeying rules? You are the one that told me how I was too uptight about them. What makes you suddenly decide to change your entire perception on them?”

Baekhyun was unsure of what to say. Kyungsoo was determined to fight for him and somewhere deep inside Baekhyun…he liked it.

“Kyungsoo…this will never work.”

“We can make it work…”

Baekhyun looked away and shook his head, “We know it won’t…”

Kyungsoo released a sigh, “Fine…look at me and say it.”

Baekhyun blinked and looked back at him, “What?”

Kyungsoo had on a blank expression, Baekhyun was unsure what the latter was thinking. “Say you don’t want me. Then say that you don’t feel the same way. Then I promise to leave…and I won’t return into your life again.”

Baekhyun’s mouth dropped and he shook his head, “I…I can’t—“

“Do it! You’re going to let our kingdoms begin to dictate how we should live our lives? Then do it!”

Baekhyun tightened his fists, “You know I cant.”

“I don’t have all day Baekhyun.”

Baekhyun gritted his teeth together and walked towards Kyungsoo. He stood face to face and glared into him, “You’re a piece of shit, you know that?”

Kyungsoo sent him a smirk, “So what are you gonna do about it? I will never let you go unless you tell me that you want me to.”

Baekhyun pierced his lips together and his hands went up to grab Kyungsoo’s face. He leaned in and next thing he knew, he was kissing the Monalet prince again.

Kyungsoo practically melted into the kiss, his hands finding their way into Baekhyun’s hair. They stayed like that for a while, until they both parted to catch their breath.

“You’re my world now…” Kyungsoo whispered.

Baekhyun scoffed, “I didn’t think you were going to be so cheesy.”

Kyungsoo sent him a small smile as he wrapped his arms around Baekhyun and squeezed him tight. Baekhyun hugged him back with just as much strength.

“May I court you?” Kyungsoo asked.

Baekhyun shook his head, “I’m the one doing the courting.”

Kyungsoo separated himself a bit to look at Baekhyun, “In my kingdom, we can’t go much further than a kiss while we are courting.”

Baekhyun giggled, “The same applies with mine.”

***

Kyungsoo and Baekhyun laid on the grass next to each other, their hands intertwined in one another. It was quiet with the only sound being the gentle breeze that tickled their face.

“Did you ever think that this would happen?” Baekhyun asked.

Kyungsoo scoffed, “Of course not.”

Baekhyun smiled as a flower tickled his cheek. “You didn’t think as a kid you would be falling for the prince from the rival kingdom?”

Kyungsoo laughed as he turned to face Baekhyun, “That actually never crossed my mind.”

Baekhyun looked over at the Monalet prince who looked angelic as the sun shined on him. The sun reflected the brown in his eyes and the pearl pink on his lips. Perhaps Kyungsoo really was an angel that pretended to be human.

“You know…I actually dreamt of us as kids before.”

Kyungsoo tilted his head to the side, “Really?”

Baekhyun nodded, “Yes…I think you leaned in to whisper in my ear.”

Kyungsoo suddenly felt a memory want to manifest itself. It made him feel a bit dizzy, but he ignored it as he focused his attention on Baekhyun instead.

“I actually have a question for you.”

Baekhyun blinked cutely, causing Kyungsoo to suddenly grow nervous. “What is it?” The Solaris prince asked.

Kyungsoo wet his lips, “In my kingdom...they hold a festival every year. I was wondering if…perhaps…you would like to accompany me?”

Baekhyun sent him a big smile, “Get a chance to enter Monalet? Sounds interesting.”

Kyungsoo cleared his throat, “Er…the festival is…exclusively for…uh…” Kyungsoo swallowed and looked away, suddenly unable to finish his sentence. He felt embarrassed at the fact that Baekhyun caused him to become so tongue tied.

Baekhyun tilted his head in curiosity as he saw Kyungsoo squirm. Is it possible that perhaps the moon festival served the same purpose as the Solaris ball?

“Hey Kyungsoo?”

Kyungsoo slowly turned his head to look at Baekhyun. His eyes were wide and practically gleamed.

“The Solaris ball that I invited you to…I didn’t tell you this but…it has a special meaning when only two people go.”

Kyungsoo shifted his body a bit as he grew more immersed in what Baekhyun was saying.

“My kingdom says that the Sun Goddess will bless two people that go together. And er…that will make…” Baekhyun shut his mouth, growing shy at the next part.

“Make their love eternal.” Kyungsoo finished the sentence for him.

“Y—yes.” Baekhyun replied.

Kyungsoo nodded, “The moon festival serves the same purpose. Only instead of the Sun Goddess, it will be the Moon God.”

Baekhyun sent him a small smile, “And you want me to be the one to go with you?”

Kyungsoo scoffed, “Should I remind you that you invited me first?”

Baekhyun giggled as he snuggled up into Kyungsoo. “Well Kyungsoo, if you want me to go so bad, then I guess I have to go then.”

Kyungsoo rolled his eyes, “Don’t let this get to your head.”

Baekhyun let out a soft sigh, “Too late.”

Kyungsoo smiled as he placed his arm around Baekhyun and pulled him closer. Baekhyun simply looked up from where he had placed his head on Kyungsoo’s chest.

“This is wrong.” Baekhyun said.

Kyungsoo simply hummed in response as he leaned in closer to Baekhyun. He placed a kiss on the elder’s forehead and whispered, “This is our secret.”

A sudden gasp had them both looking over to the entrance of the clearing. There, staring at them was their knights. Jongin and Chanyeol were suppressing a laugh while Jongdae and Minseok merely had their lips pierced together.

The two princes quickly straightened up as they stood.

“Did we interrupt something?” Chanyeol asked, a teasing tone to his voice.

Baekhyun let out a sigh as he shook his head, “I thought you would wait for us to come out.”

Jongin shook his head, “You were taking too long.”

“I’m assuming everything went well.” Chanyeol added.

Baekhyun placed his tongue on the side of his cheek as he scoffed. He crossed his arms, visibly irked that they had interrupted them. “What do you guys want?” he asked, voice demanding and annoyed.  

Chanyeol laughed, “Why so rude all of a sudden Baekhyun?”

Kyungsoo cleared his throat, “There is actually something I wish to speak with you two about.” Kyungsoo remarked as he looked over at his knights.

Minseok nodded, “Yes?”

“I invited Baekhyun to the Moon festival with me and he agreed.”

Minseok and Jongin’s eyes widened, “What?!”

“I feel to make him feel more comfortable, we should show him around the kingdom first. That way, we can teach him where to go and where not to go.”

Jongin’s mouth dropped, “Kyungsoo, you can’t be serious! This is too risky! If someone sees him—“

“Kyungsoo! Does that mean what I think it does? Does he understand what accepting to go with you to the moon festival means?”

Kyungsoo gulped, “He understands.”

“It means the same thing as inviting someone to the Solaris ball, which Kyungsoo agreed to by the way.” Baekhyun spoke up.

Chanyeol smirked, “Ah…you invited Kyungsoo? How surprising.” He replied sarcastically.

Jongdae furrowed his brows, “We are missing the point of this conversation. Baekhyun cannot go to Monalet! That is an absurd idea.”

Chanyeol shook his head, “Not alone anyway.”

Jongdae’s eyes widened and his eyes looked over that the other knight. Chanyeol’s face was nothing short of mischievous. But of course the taller would want to go to Monalet. Chanyeol was probably curious and more than likely, wanted to see Jongin’s hometown. Jongdae gritted his teeth together. This was getting very much out of hand.

Kyungsoo looked over at Baekhyun, “Only if you wish to see the kingdom before the moon festival. I don’t want to force you, I just think it is a good idea.”

Baekhyun understood that it was a good idea to see the Monalet kingdom at least once before the Moon festival. In addition, he trusted Kyungsoo and his knights. He knew that they would never let anything happen to him or his knights.

“Baekhyun,” Chanyeol called out, Baekhyun’s eyes darted to him. “Do you want to go to Monalet?”

Baekhyun looked from Kyungsoo to his knights before answering, “I wish to go to Monalet.”

“Wait! Let’s think about this.” Jongdae shouted. “This is nothing like a secret meeting in a clearing. This is…serious. This is going to a kingdom full of people that…hate us. If we are discovered, we are as good as dead.”

“You have my word that I will not let anything happen.” Kyungsoo responded.

Jongdae bit his lip as he pondered. His whole life he had been raised to take care of Baekhyun. Was this really the best idea?

“Jongdae, if I felt Baekhyun was in any danger, I would automatically decline.” Chanyeol said from behind him.

“What if you come to Monalet during the night time?” Minseok asked.

Jongdae’s eyes widened. “At night?”

Baekhyun eyes suddenly shined, “How about tonight?”

“Tonight?!” Chanyeol yelled out.

Baekhyun nodded, “Yes. Is there a problem?” Baekhyun looked over at Kyungsoo who was smiling at him. The Monalet prince would love nothing more than for Baekhyun to see his kingdom. He wanted Baekhyun to see for himself where he grew up and fall in love with Monalet.

“I see no problem with it.” Kyungsoo answered.

Jongdae and Chanyeol looked at one another and realized that it would be a much better idea to go during the night then the day. They would be able to camouflage and hide if something were to happen.

Jongdae looked back at Baekhyun, “I would feel safer at night.”

Jongin smiled wide, “Tonight sounds great!” He was more than ecstatic to know that they would be going into Monalet.  He looked over at Chanyeol who seemed just as excited. His heart beat faster knowing that the other knight was just as excited as he was.

Kyungsoo nodded, “We can meet at the fork in the road that you took me to the first time we met. We will have disguises for you.”

Baekhyun smiled wide as he grew more and more enthusiastic. “So tonight?”

Kyungsoo chuckled as he looked at Baekhyun’s smiling face. The latter looked so bright and innocent. “Yes, I will see you tonight.”

***

“Wait...what exactly do you want me to do?” Taemin asked as he sat in his private quarters.

Jongin sat next to him and placed his arm over the other knight’s shoulder, “We just need you to distract the head knight tonight.”

Taemin raised an eyebrow. Jongin had been acting strange for a while and now he wanted him to distract the head knight? “Why?”

Minseok sat next to him on the other side of the bed, “Because he has a tendency to question us a lot. We simply want to keep our investigation about the watering hole as private as possible.”

“So…what should I do?”

Minseok shrugged, “Simply find a way to keep him with you only. Do not let him out of your sight.”

Taemin sighed, “Alright, but I feel as though you have been hiding things from me recently.”

Jongin raised an eyebrow, “Well…yes, but that is only because we want to keep the watering hole as private as possible.”

Taemin twisted his mouth to the side, “You seem to have found someone else Jongin.  Honestly…I feel you have a new best friend.”

Jongin’s mouth dropped, “You’re being ridiculous!”

“Then why do I catch you daydreaming most of the time? Even when I speak to you, you seem to be in a different world.”

“We are getting off topic.” Minseok interrupted. “I promise Taemin, we are only keeping things from you for your own safety. One day, we will tell you everything.”

Taemin pouted and let out a sigh, “Alright…I’ll keep him distracted tonight.”

“Thanks Taemin.” Minseok smiled.

Jongin bit his bottom lip as he thought about what Taemin said. Of course Taemin was still his best friend, how could he be so silly and think he wasn’t? Of course Chanyeol was now a big part of his life, but he didn’t see the latter as a best friend. He saw the other as someone he cared for very much, but he didn’t see him like a best friend…no…not a best friend.

***

“What are you doing?” Jongdae asked as Baekhyun lied in bed.

“I’m going to take a nap. I’m going out tonight and don’t want to be sleepy.” The prince responded as he snuggled into the bed.

Chanyeol raised his eyebrow, “Your dad is going to walk in and ask what you’re doing.”

Baekhyun buried his face, “You tell him I’m sleeping.”

Baekhyun knew that he could stay awake for a while at night. He knew for a fact that he wouldn’t want to sleep if it involved Kyungsoo. But, if he slept now, the faster he would be able to see the Monalet prince.


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...I finally was able to upload a chapter...yay :D Thank you everyone who has been so patient and enjoys reading ^^ I have been busy so I can not write as much T.T But anyways...I want to thank everyone who has written nice comments ^^ Believe it or not, I read every single one and it warms my heart to read such kind words D,,,x thank you so much D,,,x   
> Anyway....I hope you like it so far and enjoy ^^

The moon rested above their heads as they waited underneath it.

“Did we perhaps arrive a bit too early?” Jongin asked as he carried the fluffy capes over his shoulder.

Minseok shrugged, “I simply assumed they would come once the moon came up.”

Kyungsoo chuckled, “I think I see them in the distance.”

Baekhyun and his knights were nearing the fork in the road. They were all hugging themselves as they got closer.

“It’s colder over here.” Chanyeol said as he rubbed his shoulders.

Jongdae nodded, “I hope it’s warmer in Monalet. If I would have known it was colder here at night, I would have piled on clothes.”

Once they got close enough to the Monalets, they noticed that they were each riding on their horses.

“Hey.” Kyungsoo greeted as he climbed off of his horse and stepped in front of Baekhyun.

Baekhyun pouted, “You should have told me that I should bring warmer clothes.”

Kyungsoo chuckled as he wrapped a thick cape around the Solaris prince. The outside was as dark as the night sky, but the inside was as warm as the sun. Baekhyun quickly felt his body melt into it. He let out a small hum as he snuggled into it.

Kyungsoo smiled as he reached out and placed the hood over his head, covering his ears and cheeks. “Better?”

Baekhyun nodded, “Yeah, thanks.”

“We brought one for each of you.” Kyungsoo told him as he tied the front tightly. “It’ll help keep your face covered and camouflage with the surroundings.”

“How dark is it in Monalet?” Asked Chanyeol.

Jongin threw the cape over Chanyeol and the elder knight flinched and shut his eyes.

“It’s not too bad.” Jongin replied. “It’s more so because we knew you would be too dumb to bring anything warm.”

Chanyeol furrowed his brows at him. “Well next time, you should let me know.”

Jongin smirked at him and raised his eyebrow, “Well now you know. Come visit me privately whenever you want.”

Chanyeol felt his cheeks heat up as Jongin placed the hood over his head. He saw as the younger’s hand traveled down to tie the string properly around his neck. “Are you trying to tell me something?” He asked.

Jongin looked up at him, “Of course not.”

Chanyeol smirked at him and whispered, “Don’t tease me like that. I may  begin to get excited.”

Jongin froze for a second as he was about to tie the knot. He pulled the strings together as tight as he could, making Chanyeol let out a small squeal. “I hope you trip and land on that smug smile across your face.”   

Chanyeol let out a small chuckle, “I know you don’t really mean that.”

“Are you guys done yet? We’re waiting on you.” Minseok said loudly. Everyone had their capes on them, ready to venture to Monalet.

“Of course.” Jongin replied as he hopped atop of his horse. “Climb on Chanyeol.”

Chanyeol raised an eyebrow, “You want me to ride with you?”

Jongin rolled his eyes, “If we go walking then it will take forever. Which explains why you took so long.”

Baekhyun climbed behind Kyungsoo as he let out a small laugh. “Jongin likes to tease Chanyeol, doesn’t he?”

Kyungsoo nodded, “Yeah he does. It’s pretty strange. Chanyeol is the only one that he behaves this way around.”

“Hold on tight.”  Minseok said as Jongdae got on behind him. “It can get pretty dangerous if you don’t.”

Baekhyun smiled and wrapped his arms around Kyungsoo’s waist as he laid his chin to rest on the latter’s shoulder. “I have never ridden with someone else on a horse.”

Kyungsoo smiled, “Me either. But, there is a first time for everything.”

After the six of them were settled, the horses began to run towards Monalet. Baekhyun ducked his head behind Kyungsoo, the wind was freezing as it flew by them. The cold air hit their faces directly and Baekhyun didn’t understand how Kyungsoo could handle such cold temperatures. He shut his eyes as he snuggled into Kyungsoo’s back and tightened his grip. Suddenly the horses began to slow down and ultimately stopped. Baekhyun’s eyes opened as he began to perk his head up.

“We’re here.” Kyungsoo said as he stared ahead.

Baekhyun perked up quickly and looked over the prince’s shoulder, “This is it?” He jumped off of the horse and saw how there was a pathway adorned with flowers that glowed blue. His mouth dropped open. “What are those?” He asked as he got closer to one.

Kyungsoo walked behind him, “They’re night shades. They only glow at night.”

Baekhyun bent down and stared in awe at the beautiful light blue that resonated off of it. “Are they dangerous?”

Kyungsoo laughed, “On the contrary, they can be used to make medicine.”

He took Baekhyun’s hand within his own, the Solaris prince looked over at him.

“I want to show you Monalet.” He replied.

Baekhyun smiled as he stood, “Show me.”

Kyungsoo nodded and lead him up the path towards what Baekhyun knew would become Monalet. His knights were already ahead of them and stopped walking to wait for Baekhyun and Kyungsoo. Once Baekhyun got to where they were standing, his eyes could only gawk at what he witnessed.

“Welcome to Monalet.” Jongin replied.

The entire area was adorned with these nightshade flowers to illuminate the entire place. They walked further in and Baekhyun presumed that they were in the marketplace. The Monalet symbol hung around every corner, but Baekhyun couldn’t keep his eyes off of the floor. It was a light shade of blue due to the flowers and moon, the wind from earlier shook the trees causing what looked like waves. Baekhyun’s eyes looked up and everything was a light shade of blue. He felt as though he was walking at the bottom of the ocean.

“This is…beautiful.” Chanyeol suddenly said.

Baekhyun could do nothing but nod in agreement. He always imagined Solaris to be the most beautiful place, but now, it seems like Monalet could compete with that title.

His eyes suddenly landed on the castle ahead of them. Baekhyun couldn’t tell if it was white or blue because of the light shining on it, but it was breathtaking nonetheless. The walls looked sturdy, but gentle at the same time. Looking at the castle reminded him somehow of water. It was built as if to resemble bubbles.

“We can just give you a small tour and then we have to make sure you get home safe.” Kyungsoo replied.

“When you say small, what does that mean exactly?” Jongdae asked. “Because I really want to see as much as I can.”

Minseok laughed, “As much as we can show you. This is simply to get an idea for how the moon festival will be like. We can show you more then.”

Jongdae pouted, “And who said I’m going to the moon festival?”

Minseok raised an eyebrow, “I know you won’t let Baekhyun go by himself.”

Jongdae sent him a smirk, “You got a point there.”

Jongin, who had been leading the party with Chanyeol by his side, suddenly stopped in his tracks. He placed his arm out defensively to keep Chanyeol behind him.

“What is it Jongin?” Kyungsoo asked. He immediately went next to Baekhyun. The Solaris prince pressed himself next to Kyungsoo.

“I’m not sure…” Jongin replied.

They heard a thud and suddenly…someone they recognized stumbled in front of them. The Monalet citizen looked up at them and sent them a sly smile.

“Whew…” He began as he straightened up. “It’s just you Jongin, I thought it was someone scary, like Jinyoung.”

Jongin relaxed as he sent bambam a smirk, “Jinyoung? What did you do to him this time?”

Yugyeom suddenly appeared running behind him, “Bam what are you--?” He turned his head to face the six of them. “Oh…hey.” He greeted with a smile. “What are you doing out so late?”

Kyungsoo laughed, “I could ask you the same thing. Jinyoung told me a while ago you were sick, how are you feeling?”

Yugyeom smiled at them, “That feels like long ago, I feel much better now your highness. All thanks to you.”

Minseok nodded, “I’m glad to hear that. But, Jinyoung is really protective of you. Won’t he get worried if he sees you are out so late?”

“He knows, besides, he is out with his friends.”

Jongin smirked, “So what? Are you two on a date?”

At the mention of date, Bambam and Yugyeom both blushed and began laughing.

Jongin’s mouth dropped, “Wait really?”

“Since when has this been going on?” Minseok asked, equally flabbergasted.

Yugyeom shook his head, “It’s not official yet.”

“We want to make it official after the Moon festival.” Bambam added.

Kyungsoo nodded, “Understandable, I would do the same.”

“Are you taking anyone Kyungsoo?” Yugyeom asked.

Baekhyun felt his own cheeks heat up and he ducked his head, causing the hood to fall lower to hide his face.

“That…is a surprise.” Kyungsoo replied.

Yugyeom and bambam both sent each other a knowing look and then focused their attention on Kyungsoo.

“I bet my mother’s shop that it’s the person next to you.” Bambam blurted out.

Minseok let out a holler of laughter.

Kyungsoo turned red, “I think the horse’s shed is full of feces again. Would you like to volunteer to get up bright and early tomorrow to clean it alone?”

Yugyeom laughed and Bambam threw his arms up in defeat. “No thank you. We’re leaving now.”

“We’ll see you at the moon festival.” Jongin called after them.

The couple ahead nodded, “See you then. Hope you find a date too Jongin.”

Jongin nodded, “I’ll see what happens.”

Bambam smirked at him as he raised an eyebrow playfully. The younger was always good at these types of things. He always knew who liked who…perhaps one could call it a gift.

Jongin gulped and his eyes widened, “Dont say anything!”

The younger merely let out a giggle and Yugyeom pulled him along, leaving the six of them alone once again.

“They were really…nice.” Baekhyun suddenly spoke out.

Kyungsoo scoffed, “What did you expect? Ruthless and no smiles? Those two do nothing but joke around all day. I’m not surprised they became a couple. Actually…I think you would get along with them.”

Baekhyun sent a small smile towards Kyungsoo. He can’t believe that he had once thought such negative things about Monalets. Every single one he has met thus far has been nothing but kind towards him. He let out a small giggle, “Maybe.”

“Too bad everything is closed now. Everyone is probably sleeping.” Minseok said as he pouted.

“Actually…” Baekhyun began. “I was wondering if you could take me to a certain place in your kingdom.”

“Where?”

“Well…you told me before that a watering hole in the kingdom is contaminated. Maybe, if we see it, then we can offer our opinions on it. We have a different mentality and perhaps all you need is a different perspective?”

Kyungsoo grinned wide at this. Baekhyun did mention that he wanted to help Kyungsoo in any way that he could. He did think that the different perspective idea was a good one.

“Of course! That’s a great idea!” He yelled out happily.

“Maybe there is something they will notice that we haven’t.” Jongin agreed with just as much enthusiasm.

Minseok nodded rapidly. “Follow me.” He let out as he began to walk briskly away. Jongdae laughed and ran to catch up to him.

“We’re coming, but wait for us.” He teased once he matched paces with Minseok.

Baekhyun walked next to Kyungsoo towards the watering hole. Perhaps he would somehow be able to help him and hopefully solve the problem. Kyungsoo never said it too much, but Baekhyun could tell that this mystery was taking its toll on the young prince.

He reached out and took Kyungsoo’s hand in his own. The Monalet prince blinked and looked over at Baekhyun.

“Is it alright to do this?” Baekhyun asked with a sly smile.

Kyungsoo sent back a smile, “Sure.”

“Ugh…so cheesy.” They heard Chanyeol grunt ahead of them.

“No one told you to look!” Baekhyun shouted playfully.

They passed a field that was completely bare. This must be where the plants ceased to grow.

“The watering hole is just up ahead.” Minseok assured as they got closer.

Once that was said, they all quickened their pace. They finally saw the body of water. To Baekhyun, it looked like nothing was wrong with it.  He tilted his head to the side as they got closer. “Are you sure it’s the water?”

Kyungsoo nodded, “I’m positive it’s the water. For safety reasons, don’t touch it.”

Jongdae pouted as he leaned his head over it and peered into his reflection. The water was perfectly clear and it looked extremely clean. He let out a small scoff, “What a puzzling mystery.” His eyes scanned the water and then something bright caught his eye. He slowly made his eyes go down towards the color and what he saw practically made his eyes bulge out of their sockets. He gulped and slowly began to straighten up.

“I wonder what—“

“Don’t get near it Baekhyun!” Jongdae cut the Solaris prince off before he could take a step closer. “I know what the problem is.” He slowly took a step back.

“Wait…what?!” Jongin asked in disbelief. They had been trying to figure this out to no avail. How could Jongdae suddenly have figured it out?

“Jongdae…what are you—“

“Look at the plants by the water.” Jongdae responded.

All of their eyes darted down. Kyungsoo furrowed his brows in confusion. All he saw were orange flowers.

“Flowers?” He questioned. “I don’t understand…” He turned his head to look at Baekhyun and his expression was confusing him even more. The Solaris prince had his mouth wide open as he stared at the flowers.

“What?” Minseok questioned as Jongdae finally stood next to him. “What is it?”

“The flowers…” Chanyeol began. “But…I thought Soltis only grew in Solaris?”

Kyungsoo’s eyes widened as he began to slowly catch on. He remembered a brief discussion Baekhyun and he had once over a flower known as Soltis. If he recalled correctly, it was extremely lethal.

“They shouldn’t be growing here!” Baekhyun shouted. “It’s impossible! How could their seeds be scattered in Monalet?”

Chanyeol looked over the flowers carefully from where he was. “They aren’t fully grown yet, if they were, then they would be a brighter shade of orange.”

“That means…they were planted recently.” Jongdae said, causing the other Solarians to gasp.

“Wait…what’s going on?” Jongin asked. “I am very lost.”

Chanyeol looked over at the younger, “Jongin, those flowers are the reason behind the contaminated water hole.”

Minseok shook his head, “How? How can flowers be responsible for poisoning an entire water source?”

Jongdae sighed, “Soltis is extremely lethal. It wipes out plants to give itself the nutrients it needs. The juices inside of it are so deadly simply swallowing a drop of it can kill anyone.”

“The juices inside of the flowers must have somehow found their way inside of the watering hole, contaminating the entire thing. Those flowers poisoned the water, then when the crops were watered, they were poisoned because of the water. The only creatures that can consume Soltis are birds and fish.”

“Are you sure?” Kyungsoo asked, his frustration growing. “Are you sure that those flowers are Soltis?!”

“Kyungsoo, I’m positive. We are raised to know Soltis once we learn to walk because we need to avoid it at all costs.” Baekhyun replied sternly.

Kyungsoo’s body began to go limp and his eyes suddenly began to water. He let out a small sigh and looked away. Baekhyun took a step towards him, “Kyungsoo?”

Kyungsoo scoffed, “I was just brought back to the realization that your kingdom hates mine.” He replied. “Someone from your kingdom tried poisoning us.”

Baekhyun shook his head, “You don’t know that…”

Kyungsoo looked down, “What else could it be?”

“Kyungsoo, stop.”

“We can never work…our kingdoms will never allow it.”

At this, Baekhyun walked over to the younger and pulled him in. He held him tightly in his arms. Kyungsoo buried his face into the elder’s shoulders, letting out gentle sobs. Now that he knew the truth of how the water had been contaminated, reality had settled in. He and Baekhyun could never be anything more. They had been living in a fantasy world…the real world would never allow them to be together.

“Kyungsoo, we are the future, we are the next heirs. We decide the fates of our kingdoms. We can teach them to respect one another.”

Kyungsoo shook his head, “It won’t work…if we bring this up to our parents, they would never allow us to incorporate each other’s culture.”

Baekhyun parted from him a bit, “We can incorporate it slowly while we are still princes. Then, when we overthrow the king and queen we rule over both kingdoms.”

The knights watching began to realize where Baekhyun was going with this. The moment they all knew was bound to happen was about to set itself in motion.

“Baekhyun…what are you saying?” Kyungsoo asked. “We can overthrow the king and queen only when we become king ourselves.”

Baekhyun nodded, “Exactly…marry me Kyungsoo.”

Kyungsoo’s eyes widened and his lips parted a bit as he took in what Baekhyun had just proposed. “Wh--what?”

“Marry me Kyungsoo. And when the time is right, we reveal that we are the true kings of Monalet and Solaris.” Baekhyun slowly began to put himself down on one knee and held Kyungsoo’s hand gently in his, “Prince of Monalet, will you take me, prince of Solaris, as your husband?”

Kyungsoo gave him a big smile and scoffed, “You’re really cheesy.”

Baekhyun tilted his head, “So…yes?”

Kyungsoo raised his eyebrow, “Yes Baekhyun, I accept”

“And I promise, if a Solarian is behind the poisoning of the water hole, I will do everything in my power to make sure that they get caught. And when they do, I will personally execute them.”

Kyungsoo let out a small sniffle and nodded. “Thank you.” Perhaps there was still hope. Maybe…Baekhyun and he could have a happily ever after. If they could make their kingdoms become more comfortable with the ones they were taught to hate, then they would be able to reveal that they loved one another and overthrow the king and queen with new ideas and morals. It would benefit both kingdoms to not have to live with so much hatred anymore.

Baekhyun stood up straight and gently placed a kiss upon Kyungsoo’s forehead. The latter merely shut his eyes and revealed a half smile as he his heart swelled up in euphoria.

“Don’t be sad Kyungsoo. I don’t want to see that face on you.” Baekhyun said as he held Kyungsoo’s face in his hands. Kyungsoo looked into Baekhyun’s eyes and the half smile was revealed once again.

Jongin looked over at Kyungsoo and he smiled at how happy Kyungsoo was. They all knew that a proposal was bound to happen. He let out a small sigh and leaned on Chanyeol’s shoulder, causing the elder knight to look down at him.

“I’m happy.” Jongin whispered.

Chanyeol smiled as he placed his arm around Jongin’s shoulder, “Me too.” He replied.

Jongdae crossed his arms as he looked at Minseok, “We’ll catch the ingrate that did this. He isn’t going to get away with it.”

Minseok nodded, “I’m glad that the reason for the contamination is finally discovered. I was getting worried. Now we know we just need to keep everyone away from these plants.”

Jongdae nodded, “Yes. Don’t touch them directly and if you need to, use extreme caution. You can kill them with the same thing you use to kill weeds. But, I’m afraid the water may be a lost cause.”

Minseok nodded, “Thank you.”

***

“Thank you for your help.” Kyungsoo said as he and Baekhyun walked hand in hand.

Baekhyun shook his head, “We didn’t do anything. I just hope you don’t get too close to those flowers. Tomorrow you just need to use weed killer to rid of them.”

Jongin chuckled from next to them, “Are we simply going to ignore that you two are officially engaged?”

Kyungsoo blushed while Baekhyun let out a laugh.

“Now, I suppose we should focus on having our kingdom warm up to Monalet. But, that may prove to be a difficult task.” Chanyeol chimed in.

“Nothing we can’t handle.” Baekhyun replied. “I think we should first focus on those that we know are open minded.”

Jongdae snickered, “We should start with Sehun.” He teased. “He is also the son of the priestess, he could actually marry you guys.”

Everyone suddenly stopped in their tracks, causing Jongdae to turn to look at them. He raised an eyebrow, “What are you doing?”

“Jongdae that’s brilliant!” Baekhyun yelled out.

“Wait…what?”

“Sehun! If we can have him warm up to Monalets, then he can have his mom warm up to them! Who would not believe the words of the priestess?”

Jongdae’s mouth dropped, “Wait…I was only joking!”

Chanyeol smiled, “It’s a great idea! Sehun is already extremely open minded and kind. The priestess would definetly listen to him if he said that Monalets are kind. She would even want to meet Monalets to see if it’s true.”

“When can we meet him?” Kyungsoo asked excitedly.

“We can bring him with us next time we meet at the clearing!” Chanyeol yelled just as enthusiastic.

“Wait…what’s happening right now? I was only kidding.” Jongdae replied.

“Kyungsoo, wouldn’t it be a good idea to bring someone too? Someone that everyone trusts?” Minseok questioned as the gears in his head started turning.

Jongin’s eyes suddenly sparkled, “We can bring Taemin! We did promise we would tell him what’s going on. And he is seen as one of the most trusted knights after us. If we can get him to warm up to them, we can then have all of the other knights trusting Solarians.”

Kyungsoo smiled wide, “If all of the knights trust Solarians, then the townspeople will soon begin to give them a chance as well.”

Baekhyun nodded vigorously. “This will work! I know it will.” His eyes darted over to Kyungsoo, who looked nothing short of joyful. His mouth was curved upward making a perfect heart with his lips. His eyes crinkled as they made a small eyes mile, under the moonlight he looked stunning. Was Kyungsoo even human?

“You know…you look kind of beautiful like that.” Baekhyun thought aloud.

The knights all let out a grunt as they looked away.

Baekhyun and Kyungsoo both grew a bit red as they let out a small giggle. “Sorry…” Baekhyun said as he rubbed the back of his neck.

Kyungsoo shook his head, “No need for apologies.” He replied.

“At least do these things in private.” Jongdae teased.

“We don’t wish to see how “in love” our heirs are.” Jongin teased even more, earning a laugh from all of the knights. Chanyeol shoved Jongin playfully and the younger knight leaned on him.

“Quiet down!” Kyungsoo yelled back playfully. “I don’t think you are in any position to judge.”

Jongin raised an eyebrow, “Oh?”

Kyungsoo smirked back at him, “Don’t make me say it here.”

 _“Why are you going out so late?”_ They all suddenly heard a voice from the distance.

All six of them turned to face it. The voice was familiar to the Monalets, but they needed to hear it once again to make sure.

“That sounded like…Taemin.” Jongin spoke up.

“It did…” Kyungsoo agreed.

_“I don’t see the point of being out this late.”_

“It is Taemin.” Minseok replied.

Baekhyun beamed, “Maybe our plan can be set in motion even earlier than we expected.”

Jongin shook his head, “No…” He turned his head to face the Monalet prince, eyes full of worry, “Kyungsoo we need to get them out of here.”

Kyungsoo nodded, “Get them out of here…now.” He commanded.

“Wait…but you said—“

“Taemin is watching over the head knight, he is nothing like the Monalets you have met.” Minseok cut Chanyeol off as he made his way towards them.

“The head knight?” Jongdae questioned.

“Minseok, get them out of here. Jongin, you stay with me, he is coming this way.”

Jongin nodded as he stood his ground next to Kyungsoo.

“Wait…but, how bad can he be?” Baekhyun asked.

Minseok gathered them together and began to lead them in the other direction. “The head knight hates Solarians with all the hatred of this world. He has even gotten into arguments with Kyungsoo. We despise him and if it were up to me, I would--.”  

“Kyungsoo!” Taemin greeted as he smiled.

Minseok stopped in his tracks, jaw tightening and fists clenching. Should he continue walking? Or would that make things look suspicious?

“Kyungsoo,” The head knight greeted. “What are you doing so late?” He peered over the Monalet prince’s shoulder, “Who is Minseok walking with?”

Kyungsoo raised an eyebrow at the head knight, “Weary travelers are passing through and we are simply helping them get to their destination. And I have told you over and over, you address me formally, we are not friends.”   

“I apologize your highness. Perhaps I can be of assistance? I was actually heading out myself and you look tired.”

Kyungsoo stepped in front of him, “That won’t be necessary. We can handle it.”

Minseok sighed and whispered, “Keep your heads down, cover yourselves as best as you can, and stand behind me. He is persistent and the only way he will leave is after we confront him. I will do all the talking, you simply stand still and stay behind me.”

The Solarians understood perfectly and all felt nervous once they saw Minseok turn around. They would simply follow instructions and not make any irrational movements.

Minseok began to walk towards them. The Solarians followed closely behind, with their faces covered and heads down.

“We don’t need your help, thank you though.” Minseok assured as he smiled. “Actually, you have made our visitors nervous with your entrance. I think it would be best that we all part ways.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make them nervous.” The head knight replied.

All three Monalets stood in front of him, with the Solarians closely behind them. They needed the head knight to quit his pestering, only then would they be able to leave without worry.

“Are you alright travelers?” the head knight suddenly asked.

The Solarians gulped, unsure as to what they should do.  The Monalets remained motionless, but inside they were panicking. They didn’t think that he would actually address them. If they didn’t answer, he would certainly grow suspicious.

Baekhyun suddenly cleared his throat, “We are fine. We were simply passing by and wish to leave now.”

“You should stay in Monalet. I’m sure we can find you someone who would be willing to show you hospitality.” Taemin burst in happily.

Jongin winced. Why of all days did Taemin decide to be friendly today?

Baekhyun shook his head, “That is alright. We simply hope that the kind knights and prince could direct us towards the exit.”

“You know…it is quite rude to not face someone while speaking.”

The head knight took a step towards Baekhyun and his hand suddenly extended to grab his chin in between his hand. Baekhyun blinked and next thing he knew, he was making direct eye contact with the head knight. The man was much older than they were and he was smiling, but his eyes held no emotion in them.

“Wow…you are quite an attractive traveler, may I get your name?”

Kyungsoo gritted his teeth together and pulled out his sword. He shoved the head knight away from HIS Baekhyun.

“Have you no manners?” Kyungsoo asked, his voice seething. “You don’t simply grab a stranger you uncultured swine!” He pointed his sword towards the head knight. Baekhyun was still taken aback by the entire scenario that had just unfolded, it had happened so fast…there was hardly any time to react.

“I think its best I lead them out.” Jongin said as he grabbed Baekhyun’s hand. He pulled the latter away while the Solaris knights followed behind.

Baekhyun turned his head once again. He didn’t want to leave Kyungsoo…especially now. The latter had grown furious and he wanted nothing more than to comfort him. Baekhyun was alright, nothing had happened. He glanced up and made eye contact again with the head knight. He was…smiling.

“I apologize your highness…” The head knight began, “You are right, that was not my place.”

Jongin took them far away from Monalet, practically running away. He knew that the head knight would find their behavior suspicious, but he also couldn’t blame Kyungsoo for behaving the way he did. He was just relieved that it was Kyungsoo that reacted that way, instead of Chanyeol or Jongdae. That would have started a fight.

“Ok…I think this is far enough.” Jongin said. “Can you find your way back to Solaris from here?”

“Jongin…what happened back there?” Chanyeol asked. “Is the head knight really that bad?”

Jongin sighed, “Unfortunately…yes. He is the only person we must keep away from. He can ruin all of our plans if he ever gets word of this. It’s just as we told you, he hates Solarians with so much passion…but we have no idea why.”

“Will Kyungsoo be alright?” Baekhyun asked.

Jongin scoffed, “That should be the least of our worries. Kyungsoo will most certainly be alright.”

Baekhyun sent him a small smile. That made him feel a bit better about this whole situation.

“I’m so sorry that this had to happen. I promise the moon festival will be much better. The head knight never attends.” Jongin smiled.

Chanyeol shook his head, “We had fun Jongin. No need to worry.”

Jongin nodded, “Sorry to sound rude, but I really need to get back. I have to make sure things didn’t end in a scuffle.”

Jongdae chuckled, “We need to be making our leave as well.”

They all said their goodbyes and made their way home.

“Monalet was beautiful.” Chanyeol spoke as they walked.

Jongdae nodded, “Honestly…yes. I am looking forward to the moon festival.”

Baekhyun smiled as he thought about their time in the other kingdom. Everything about it was breathtaking. He hoped that everything with the head knight would be resolved quickly. Hopefully Kyungsoo would write him tonight to tell him that everything had been resolved peacefully.

***

“So…what happened?” Jongin asked when he entered his private quarters. Kyungsoo and Minseok were in there, laying on the bed.

“Taemin and he left shortly after you did.” Minseok replied.

Kyungsoo let out a pout, “He ruined everything.”

Jongin laid next to him and hugged the elder. “No, don’t think like that. We all had a great time…and Baekhyun really enjoyed himself. He was worried about you and wanted to know if you would be alright.”

Kyungsoo turned over in the bed to face Jongin, “Really?”

Jongin laughed, “Yes, really. They all enjoyed themselves.”

Minseok nodded, “The good outweighs the bad. So much good happened, forget the negative that only lasted a little while.”

Kyungsoo let out a small sigh. It still bugged him a little bit, but he couldn’t stay mad for long. After all, he was officially Baekhyun’s fiancé.

***

The head knight shut the door of his private quarters and threw himself on the bed. He had on a wide smile as he let out a small chuckle.

“An innocent traveler…” He thought aloud. Was that truly Kyungsoo’s weakness? The reaction that the Monalet prince showed towards the traveler was so much more than a mere friend. Kyungsoo reacted so protectively. His plan would become so much easier if it was true that the Monalet prince had feelings for someone.

He rolled over in bed and stared at the ceiling. Now, he simply needed to figure out who this traveler was. Perhaps he could shift his plan and obtain his goal sooner than he had originally planned.

***

Baekhyun got to his room with his knights trailing behind him. They had decided to play it safe and climbed in through the prince’s window. Baekhyun didn’t mind if his knights spend the night in his room. They actually used to do it quite often when they were younger.

“You think your mom and dad are asleep?” Asked Jongdae as he sat on the floor.

Baekhyun nodded as he began to untie his robe. “Of course. You know how they feel about sleeping and waking early.”

Chanyeol threw himself onto Baekhyun’s bed as he let out a loud sigh. “Tonight was amazing.”

Jongdae looked up at him, shaking his head as he ruffled his hair, “It was. I didn’t think Monalet was so…enchanting.”

Chanyeol let out a sigh again as he rolled over in the bed, he saw a beak directly in front of his face and let out a small gasp as he threw himself back. The pigeon that faced him flapped its wings as it also got startled by Chanyeol.

Baekhyun laughed and reached out for the pigeon. The bird perched itself atop Baekhyun’s arm.

“How long have you been here?” Baekhyun asked softly as he grabbed the scroll rolled up inside of the satchel.

Chanyeol sat up straight and patted his arm. The bird quickly flew onto it and Chanyeol nuzzled his face into the pigeon.

Jongdae sat next to Chanyeol and patted the pigeon.

Baekhyun unraveled the scroll and read:

_Baekhyun,_

_I loved being able to be with you tonight. I already miss you. The only thing that can comfort me is knowing that I am going to see you soon._

_My knights and I are still planning on sticking to the plan and bring Taemin. We were thinking to meet you again the day after tomorrow. That way, it can give us both enough time to convince them to come with us._

_I hope you’re fine with this and I want to apologize for the head knight. His behavior was absolutely disgusting._

_I will be counting the seconds until I can see you again._

_Yours truly,  
Kyungsoo_

Baekhyun smiled and decided to write back and hopefully Kyungsoo would receive it before he slept.

_***_

Kyungsoo did in fact receive the scroll before he fell asleep. He laid in bed and read:

_My Kyungsoo,_

_First off, there is no need to apologize. I was much more worried over you and glad to know that you are alright. I think your idea of meeting the day after tomorrow is a great one. We will definetly convince Sehun to come with us._

_I miss you more than you could ever imagine. I cannot wait until the day I can see you again._

_Your fiancé,  
Baekhyun_


	24. Chapter 24

“Is Taemin ready yet?” Kyungsoo asked as he sat on Minseok’s bed.

Minseok shrugged, “Jongin went to go get him and he hasn’t come back. So…I’m assuming he is still getting ready.”

Kyungsoo sighed. Today was the day that they were going to bring Taemin along with them to the secret clearing. They would tell him the entire truth of what had been happening and hopefully, he would accept it. They all trusted that he would because Taemin was someone that they had always been able to rely on, especially Jongin. Jongin had been wanting to let Taemin know about this for a while now.

“Alright…” Kyungsoo began. “My father wishes to speak to me before we leave, so I will see what he wishes and come back.” Kyungsoo told him as he stood up.

Minseok smirked at him, “We both know what he’s going to ask you.”

Kyungsoo twisted his mouth to the side. The moon festival was fast approaching and he knew that the conversation would be related to it. Although, he was unsure as to how. They had not yet told the king of their discovery with Soltis. They first needed to find the perfect time to do so, after the festival. They had already banned everyone from going near the watering hole and had taken measures to ensure that the plants would die, with Hoseok’s help.

“I’ll just have to wait and see.” Kyungsoo responded.

Minseok snickered, ”Good luck Kyungsoo.” He stretched his limbs, “You are going to need it.”

Kyungsoo sent him a small smile before turning away to head towards the throne room. Hopefully when he got back, Taemin would be in there with them ready to go. He trusted Taemin, but at the same time, he was a bit nervous about later today.

The prince walked over to the throne room, passing some of the servants and greeting each and every one. Once he was in front of the doors, he let out an exhale and opened them. His parents sat in the throne room with scrolls in front of them.

“Good morning.” He told them as he walked towards them.

His parents looked up, smile bright on their faces. “Kyungsoo, thank you for coming so quickly.”

Kyungsoo settled himself in front of them. “You called for me?” He already knew the answer, but decided to ask anyway.

“Yes, we need to show you the gown that has been designed for the moon festival.”

Kyungsoo let out a small scoff, “Actually, I wish to speak to you about the moon festival as well.”

The king and queen both perked up once they heard this. “What about?”

Kyungsoo smiled and shook his head, “You can go first.”

The queen smiled and pulled out a scroll that was in front of her. She placed it in front of Kyungsoo and he eyed it in astonishment. The color of the gown drawn was a dark blue with silver adorned in many different places around it. It was just a drawing, but it reflected Monalet tradition so well and effortlessly.

“It looks beautiful.” Kyungsoo replied honestly.

The king smiled, “It really is. We just wanted you to approve before having it made.”

Kyungsoo nodded, “Of course it’s more than alright with me. I cannot wait to wear it for the festival.” He passed the scroll back to his mother, “Speaking of the festival…I will be bringing someone with me this season.”

His parents both lifted up their eyes and opened their mouth a bit, “What?” His mother questioned.

Kyungsoo shut his eyes as he suddenly grew a bit embarrassed and opened them while his head faced down. “Yes…err…he is someone I met and he accepted accompanying me. And…I am courting him as well.” He looked up to see his parents staring at him with wide smiles across their faces.

“Kyungsoo! Why didn’t you tell us earlier?” The king asked; his eyes shining.

His mom ran up to him and hugged him, “Oh Kyungsoo! You make me the happiest queen alive!”

“It’s about time you begin to court someone.” His father added. “What kingdom is he from?”

Kyungsoo smiled wide as he thought of Baekhyun. The latter’s laugh, smile, and eyes that crinkled came to mind and he noticed his own smile going up more.

“It’s a surprise. But, he will be coming to the festival that much is certain.”

“You need to introduce him to us Kyungsoo. No excuses.” The queen said as she playfully waved her finger in front of his face.

He smiled at her and nodded, “I will do my best.” He knew that he couldn’t introduce Baekhyun to them. Especially not to his mother because she had seen the Solaris prince before. But, he needed to act as though he was planning on introducing them.

“Alright Kyungsoo. We understand you have other plans for today, correct?”

Kyungsoo nodded, “Yes sir. I shall be taking my leave now.” He bowed his head towards them in respect. “If you will please excuse me.”

His mother nodded enthusiastically. “Of course Kyungsoo.”

He sent them a final smile before turning around and leaving the throne room. He walked briskly towards his knight’s private quarters. When he opened the door and peered inside he was greeted with the sight of Jongin, Minseok, and Taemin. He smiled from ear to ear as he shut the door behind him. “Ready?” He questioned.

The three of them looked over at him, “Ready!” Jongin yelled excitedly.

Taemin let out a soft chuckle, “I’m a little nervous…where are we going exactly?”

Minseok placed an arm around the younger, “You said you wanted no secrets between us right? Well…we decided that you were right.”

“We have known each other growing up. We are about to show you everything that we have been hiding from you.” Jongin added.

Taemin tilted his head to the side in curiosity. “Oh? And what exactly is that?”

“You’ll see. But Taemin, you have to promise to keep an open mind over this, alright?”

Taemin rolled his eyes as if that much was obvious. “Of course. You know that I will accept whatever it is. I trust you three.”

The four of them went outside and got on each of their horses. Kyungsoo lead the way out of the kingdom towards the secret clearing.

***

The Solaris prince snuck his way to the back of the shed with his knights behind him.

“Sehun…” he called out just above a whisper.

“He is in the shed.” Jongdae said as he walked towards it.

They opened the door and sure enough, Sehun was sitting on hay. He had a pigeon on his arm with a seed in his hand. He looked up with a pout on his lips. “Yes?” He questioned.

“Did you forget what you promised today?” Baekhyun asked as he got closer to the younger.

Sehun looked up as if he was pondering.

Chanyeol’s mouth dropped, “Did you really forget?”

Sehun suddenly perked up as he recalled the promise he had made yesterday. “Oh, right! You want me to go with you guys to the clearing that we played in as kids.”

Jongdae nodded, “Yes, Did you really forget?”

The youngest let out a small giggle as he covered his mouth with his hand. “It may have slipped my mind.”

Baekhyun smiled as he grabbed the younger’s shoulder, “Now that you remembered…let’s go!”

Sehun raised an eyebrow at him, “Why so much urgency? We have all day.”

Baekhyun pouted at him, “Come on Sehun. We should leave already.”

“You three suddenly came to me yesterday…INSISTING that I go with you to the secret clearing. Despite not going for years together because of…well you know.”

Chanyeol let out a chuckle, “Alright fine, we grew up and stopped going. But that doesn’t mean that we should simply abandon a place we had so much fun in.”

Sehun’s poker face was suddenly replaced with a small smile that began creeping up slowly. “Alright…you win…let’s go.” He responded as he stood up. The pigeon on his arm flew off and landed on the hay next to him.

“That’s the spirit! Now…let’s go!” Baekhyun answered excitedly.

***

Taemin stood in front of thick shrub and looked around at the Monalets surrounding him. “Um…what are we doing?”

Jongin snickered, “We arrived to where we wanted to take you.”

Taemin let out a scoff, “Alright…what did you want to show me?”

“The inside.” Minseok replied.

“Inside?” Taemin inquired. Why would they lead him to a desolate part in the woods just so they could stare at some thick shrubs?

Jongin giggled as he bent down. “Come here.” He gestured as he took Taemin’s hand.

Taemin was already feeling dumb for being here. What could they possibly wish to show him? He got down to Jongin’s level and the other knight began to move the shrub away. “Crawl in.”

Taemin scoffed, “What?”

“Trust me.”

Taemin rolled his eyes, “Is this a prank? I will only scratch myself and most likely bump into something.

Jongin smirked, “Fine, you follow me.”

Before Taemin could say anything, Jongin was already squeezing into the shrub! He saw as the spikes clung onto some of his clothing, but quickly detached themselves. Taemin kept looking until…he could no longer see Jongin. It was as if the latter had disappeared!

“Go in. We’ll be right behind you.” Minseok encouraged.

Taemin gulped, but decided to go for it. He crawled in the same general direction that he saw Jongin go into and wasn’t sure what exactly to expect, but he was shocked to see a tunnel! He gasped and quickly made his way into it. He saw darkness and ultimately sunlight. He looked up and saw a small clearing that seemed like it was untouched. He stood up slowly as his eyes took in the serene scene. The wind gently blew the only tree in the center and softly rattled the grass beneath him. From not too far away, he heard a stream. Everything about this place was peaceful.

“What do you think?” Minseok asked as he smiled.

Taemin let out a chuckle. “I see now why you guys are always escaping the kingdom to think.” This place was perfect for wiping away any sort of worries one may have.

“It’s beautiful isn’t it?” Kyungsoo asked.

Taemin nodded, “It is.”

“But, this isn’t what we wanted to show you.” Jongin told him.

Taemin’s eyes looked over at him. “Oh?”

“We’ll let you know soon enough. But for now, we can relax.” Kyungsoo added.

Taemin smiled wide, “Sounds good to me.”

***

“Is it still hidden behind shrubs?” Sehun asked as they got closer to their destination.

Chanyeol chuckled before answering, “You have a really good memory.”

Sehun smiled triumphantly, “Well…if you say so.”

“Don’t get a big head.” Jongdae replied as he bent down to get to the shrub.

Sehun stopped in his tracks and almost stumbled, “Is this it?” he asked.

Baekhyun smiled, “Yes.”

Sehun eagerly got onto his knees and crawled in behind Jongdae. He suddenly felt a burst of excitement as he recalled all of the fun memories he had when they used to come in together. “Hurry up.” He whispered playfully.

Jongdae laughed, “I’m going, calm down.”

Sehun suddenly saw a bright light hit his face and he squinted as his eyes adjusted to the brightness. He looked around and it was as if nothing had changed. His eyes widened as he stood up. “Wow…it looks exactly the same.”

“It does huh?” Jongdae replied eagerly.

The other Solarians stood up next to him. “Why so shocked?” Chanyeol teased.

Sehun darted his eyes to him playfully. “Because…it’s still all the same. It brings back that peaceful feeling from before…” Sehun suddenly saw something from his peripheral vision and turned his head. There standing by the tree…was someone. He had on a big grin and was leaning against it. He suddenly made eye contact with Sehun and the youngest’s eyes widened and he felt a sudden wave of nostalgia hit him. He grew even more shocked when someone else appeared from behind the tree. Now, there was two individuals looking over at them.

Baekhyun smiled and held Sehun’s hand. “We want you to meet some new people.”

Sehun gulped, “Meet…new people?”

The two that were by the tree suddenly turned a bit red and took a step forward.

“Don’t be scared.” Chanyeol spoke up.

“I…I’m not.” Sehun replied turning to him. But he quickly realized that the knight was looking at the two by the tree.

The two by the tree gulped and the taller one stood in front of the shorter one. They both made their way towards them. Sehun scanned over their outfits and immediately saw what he was looking for. The Monalet symbol was embroidered on their outfit, it was tiny, but the closer they got, the more visible it grew.

Sehun suddenly let out a gasp and the two in front suddenly stopped. “I’m sorry.” The one in front replied.

Baekhyun shook his head and mouthed, “It’s ok” before turning to Sehun. “You saw the emblems?”

Sehun gulped, “Monalets?”

“They won’t do anything, I promise you.”

Sehun suddenly grew a bit nervous as he looked over the two in front of him. Memories of what he had seen as a child began replaying in his mind.

Baekhyun could see Sehun was beginning to get scared so he gave the younger’s hand a squeeze. Jongdae and Chanyeol gathered closer to Sehun to help him feel more secure.

“I swear, I will never let any harm befall you.” Jongdae whispered. Sehun looked over at him and gave a small smile. He nodded and looked back at the Monalets.

The Monalets took another step and were standing right in front of Sehun.

“Hello.” The one in front spoke. “My name is Jongin. The Monalet prince’s knight.”

Kyungsoo took his place next to Jongin, “I’m Kyungsoo.” He introduced. “Prince of Monalet. It’s such an honor to finally be able to meet you.”

Sehun furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. He looked over at the other Solarians who were giving him gentle smiles.

“Err…” He looked over at the two in front of him. “I’m Sehun…citizen of Solaris.”

“Our secret is that we are friends with Monalets.” Baekhyun said.

Sehun looked over at him and sent him a small smile, “I see nothing wrong with that.” He replied.

Jongin furrowed his brows as he looked Sehun over. The latter seemed familiar…somehow.

“I would like to be friends with you too. If you allow it.” Kyungsoo spoke up.

Sehun nodded, “Of course.” He replied as he let go of Baekhyun’s hand. “I don’t mind one bit.”

A loud gasp was suddenly heard behind the Monalets. They all turned towards the noise and were met with a knight next to Minseok. His eyes were wide and his mouth was slightly ajar.

“Taemin.” Jongin called as he walked over to the knight. Kyungsoo followed behind and they all stood next to him. “There is someone we want you to me—“

“Solarians!” He yelled out bitterly.

Jongdae and Chanyeol quickly got into their defensive position.

“Taemin, calm down.” They tried soothing, but they didn’t expect what was about to happen. Taemin suddenly sprinted forward, sword drawn and eyes icy. He leaped in the air and swung his sword down towards the prince’s head.

Baekhyun quickly pushed Sehun away from him. The younger fell against the floor with a thud, scraping his arm in the process.

Jongdae was in front of Baekhyun in a flash, sword out and deflecting the other knight’s attack.

“Taemin!” The Monalets yelled out, but it fell on deaf ears. Jongdae merely deflected the swings, Taemin did his best to make sure one landed on him. The Solaris knight was as good as Minseok, he knew he would never be able to land anything on him. Taemin took a step back and stood there panting. Jongdae stood there, sword still drawn and ready to defend. He showed no sign of exhaustion and it made Taemin angry.

The Monalets ran up to him and grabbed his arms. “That’s enough!” Minseok yelled.

Taemin let out a scoff and looked over the prince. There was no way he would be able to get him. The knight he was fighting must be his knight. That explained why he made no move to get away. He eyed the other knight who was also in front of the prince defensively. There was no way he would be able to get to their beloved little prince. His eyes darted around and that’s when he noticed the helpless scum that lay on his side staring at him with fear in his eyes. He smirked at him and realized that Solarian was just like a cornered animal…easy prey.

He struggled out of the Monalet’s grip and ran towards Sehun.

Baekhyun realized that he was not the target this time and yelled out, “Sehun!”

Chanyeol immediately understood and ran to get in front of Sehun. He was unsure as to whether or not he would be able to reach the latter in time to defend him. But, he could at least serve as a human shield and allow enough time for Baekhyun or Jongdae to throw him off.

Jongin’s eyes widened as the scene suddenly processed in his mind. “NO!” He yelled out.

Sehun tried to scramble away, but it was too late, Taemin was already flinging his sword forward.

Chanyeol got in front and braced himself for impact, but it never came. Instead, he was met with Jongin’s back in front of him. The knight had deflected the attack and had caused Taemin to stumble backwards.

“Wha—“

But Taemin didn’t get to finish his sentence, for Jongin quickly used his sword to throw Taemin’s blade into the air. Taemin fell onto the floor in confusion.

“What are you doing?” He questioned. He looked over at the Solaris prince to see Kyungsoo in front of him. He was glaring at Taemin while the Solaris prince stood closely behind him.

“Don’t…try that again. Do you understand me Taemin?” Kyungsoo told him, voice menacing.

Taemin was confused…were they defending Solarians?

Minseok kneeled next to him, “We brought you here because we trust you.” He began, “Please don’t make us regret this decision. You are making Monalets look like ignorant morons.”

Taemin gave him a confused gaze and Minseok continued speaking, “You promised to be open minded…remember?”

Taemin nodded slowly, “Yes…what’s your point?” He looked back at the Solarians and his friends in front of them. “Wait…”

“Taemin…these are our friends that happen to be from Solaris.”

Taemin’s mouth dropped, “What?! But that’s...no!”

Minseok placed his arm around Taemin’s shoulders, “Calm down!”

***

After waiting for a while, Taemin was finally able to calm down. He sat on the grass in a kneeling position. He was still a bit wary being around Solarians, but he supposed he could trust them if his friends said so.

“Alright, let’s do this again…” Kyungsoo began as he kneeled in front of Taemin. He looked up and took Baekhyun’s hand softly into his own. Baekhyun sent him a small smile and kneeled next to his fiancé.

Kyungsoo looked back at Taemin, “He is a prince, therefore, you shall respect him. Understood?”

Taemin twisted his mouth to the side, “Yes sir.”

Baekhyun smiled at him, “No need for that.” He said as he reached for a bag around his waist. He pulled out something small and extended his hand to give it Taemin. “This is something that is very rare to grow in our kingdom. We call it pineapple. I hope you like it.”

Taemin looked over the small handkerchief that held yellow fruit inside of it. It seemed juicy by the way the handkerchief was growing moist.

“This fruit is quite difficult to grow and only grows during this season.”

Taemin looked up and saw the Solaris prince smiling brightly at him. He seemed so innocent and his eyes…they seemed…familiar?

“Err…” he extended his hands out, “Thank you.” He replied. “But…I just tried to kill you. Why are you so kind?”

Baekhyun tilted his head to the side, “You were raised like that. Just like I was raised to hate Monalets. But, I decided to instead ignore the stereotypes we have of your people and make my own judgement.”

Taemin’s eyes widened, “But…my kingdom still hates you.” He told him.

“I know. But, if I can demonstrate kindness to you, then maybe you can find it in yourself to make your own opinion on me.”

Taemin suddenly felt like such a jerk trying to hurt him. The prince did nothing but smile at him even after he had behaved like such a ruffian.

“When I first saw Baekhyun, we tried killing each other.” Kyungsoo interjected.

Taemin looked over at him.

“But now…he is someone I would trust with my life.”

Taemin nodded and stood up. “I did not get a chance to introduce myself.” He bowed and lifted himself up, “I am Taemin. A knight from Monalet.”

Chanyeol smiled, “I’m Chanyeol and this is Jongdae. We’re the prince’s knights.”

Jongdae nodded, “Hello.”

Taemin smiled back. He still felt nervous…but he supposed he may be able to give them a chance.

Sehun sat next to Baekhyun, “Enough with introductions…you all need to spill everything.”

The six that had been hiding the secret all sat down and formed a circle. They spoke of how they had first met and how they had been meeting in secret ever since then. They spoke of their friendship and how they wanted to bring the kingdoms together. They told them of how they wanted to have everyone warm up to both kingdoms before announcing how they were going to unite them.

Sehun furrowed his brows, “How are you going to do that?”

Kyungsoo cleared his throat, “Well…” He looked over at Baekhyun and that’s when Taemin realized who Baekhyun was. The look in Kyungsoo’s eyes as he looked at the latter was hard to forget.

“You’re the traveler that entered Monalet the other day!” Taemin shouted.

Baekhyun looked at him and bit his lip, “Yes…but I have a good reason for it.”

“He is the reason I found out what was wrong with the watering hole.” Kyungsoo defended. “I allowed them in and without them, I never would have figured out on my own.”

Taemin shook his head, “You’re telling me I owe them?”

“No! You don’t owe us anything. All I ask is that you give me a chance to help. I would do anything to protect Monalet.” Baekhyun answered.

“And why is that?” Taemin asked. “I don’t mean to sound rude, but Monalet is not your kingdom.”

“Not yet.” Kyungsoo replied.

“What?”

Kyungsoo bit his lip, “Taemin…everything we are telling you must be kept secret. You understand that right?”

Taemin nodded, “Of course.”

“Baekhyun and I will get married Taemin. That is how we will bring the kingdom’s together.”

Taemin and Sehun’s mouths both dropped. They were both unsure as to how to answer.

“So…you wish to bring peace to the kingdoms? Is that your goal Kyungsoo?” Taemin questioned.

Kyungsoo nodded, “That is exactly what I wish. I want Monalet to be prosperous for many more years to come.”

Taemin slowly smiled as he realized that Kyungsoo would definetly make a great leader someday. The prince was already thinking of a way to bring total peace within the Monalet kingdom. If Kyungsoo thought it was a good idea to trust Solarians, then he would trust the prince’s judgement. He was certain that now…he could at least give them a chance.

“Married?” Sehun questioned.

Baekhyun nodded, “Yes.”

“I don’t think you should marry someone simply for gains. You should marry because you truly love them.” As the son of the priestess, Sehun was taught that love was most important in marriage.

Baekhyun furrowed his brows, “How dare you think I would only marry Kyungsoo for gains?” He asked him sternly.

Sehun opened his mouth to speak, but he shut it again. It began to slowly register what Baekhyun was referring to. He suddenly noticed the way that Baekhyun had glanced at Kyungsoo earlier and realized that this was more than just uniting two kingdoms. There was genuine feelings involved as well. His eyes stared into Sehun intensely and it was confirmed to him that there may be more than just simple feelings.

Sehun wet his lips and looked down, “I didn’t mean to offend you. I just want to make sure that you know what you’re doing.”

Baekhyun placed his hand over Sehun’s. The youngest looked up, “I want what’s best for our kingdom. And bringing peace is what’s best for us.”

Sehun smiled wide and nodded, “The Sun Goddess works in mysterious ways, doesn’t she?” It became evident to the son of the priestess that the Goddess was behind this. She must have seen Baekhyun and Kyungsoo as the key to ending this feud. He knew her story due to his mother and understood that all she wanted was peace.  

Taemin cleared his throat and everyone looked over.

He let out a sigh. “I owe you all an apology.” He began. “I attacked you and for that, I am sorry.”

Baekhyun tilted his head, “It’s fine.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Chanyeol said as he shook his head.

Taemin smiled and nodded. He took a step towards Sehun, “I am especially sorry towards you. I didn’t mean to frighten you so much.”

Sehun smiled back at him, “I understand. I can see in your eyes that you are sincere.”

Taemin suddenly felt himself go a bit red as he noticed how handsome the latter was. He turned his head before he could blush completely. “But…I wish to know more about you all. If I could learn more about you then….I could remove those stereotypes from my head.”

Jongin grabbed onto his arm as he walked him towards Chanyeol and Jongdae. “I’ll be your guide.” The younger replied eagerly.

Taemin felt a little shy as he made his way towards the other knights, who seemed just as eager as Jongin, if not more.

“Don’t worry.” Jongdae replied as he placed his arm around Jongin playfully. “We aren’t that pompous.” He teased.

Chanyeol got a hold of Sehun’s arm and tugged him along with them. “You have to meet them too.” He told him.

Sehun giggled as he got pulled along, “Alright, only ‘cause you say so.”

Minseok quickly joined in on the fun and made his way towards the five that were fooling around.

Baekhyun and Kyungsoo stood next to one another as they looked over them.

“How do you think it went?” Baekhyun asked.

Kyungsoo leaned in closer to him and placed his head on his shoulder, “I think it went pretty well, except for that rocky start.”

Baekhyun looked down at him, “That was to be expected.” Baekhyun replied. “It was his first time after all.”

Kyungsoo nodded, “I’m surprised by how well Sehun took it.”

Baekhyun hid his hand inside of Kyungsoo’s, “Sehun is very open minded and kind. I am not too surprised.”

Kyungsoo squeezed Baekhyun’s hand as he held it, “It was almost as if he already knew us from somewhere else.”

Baekhyun snickered, “Yes, Sehun has that effect on people. He is very accepting of others.”   

***

The Solarians all rode back home shortly before sunset. They weren’t ready to leave yet, but they didn’t have a choice. They had to go before it got dark or else the kingdom would send a search party out for them.

“Did you have fun?” Chanyeol asked Sehun.

The younger nodded, “I did! When can I come again?”

Jongdae laughed, “Well…next time we go I suppose.”

Sehun looked over at him, “I would like that.”

Baekhyun was so excited that it went better than he had expected. Sehun was so accepting of everything, it had gone too well! Not that he was complaining.

“I never thought that I would ever actually see—“ Sehun looked up and smiled as he shook his head, “This is…unbelievable.”

Baekhyun looked over at him, “I never thought I would get along with Monalets either. But, here we are.”

Sehun looked over at him and sent the prince a small grin as he nodded. Perhaps that memory had been too painful for them and they had all suppressed it. It made sense, as a child he would have recurring nightmares of that day. Maybe it was just too much for them to bear…who was he to suddenly bring up what happened when they were still children? They had found their way to the Monalets again anyway. There was no reason for memories to return.


	25. Chapter 25

_“Daddy stop!” Baekhyun screamed at the top of his lungs._

_Kyungsoo was on the floor, tears streaming down his face as his knights lay next to him. He let out a scream of fear as he realized he was next._

_“Daddy! No!” Baekhyun lifted up his hand and grabbed his father’s arm to try to get him to stop, but he was only seven. He could do nothing to prevent what was about to happen. He did not have the strength yet._

_Kyungsoo looked up into the face of hatred. What had he done to deserve such a fate? He let out a terrified scream, the only thing he could do. He was the same age as Baekhyun and unsure of what he should do to defend himself._

“Your highness,” A servant’s voice whispered gently into his ear. “It’s time to wake up.”

Kyungsoo stirred in his sleep and opened his eyes wide.

The servant smiled down at him. “You promised to help the king with preparations of the moon festival, remember?”

Kyungsoo looked around and saw that he was in his bed, safe in his room. Just what was that dream?

“Err…” he shook his head as he tried waking himself up, “Yes…I remember.” He replied. The Moon festival was fast approaching, a mere couple of moonlights away. “Is my bath drawn?” he questioned as he sat up.

She nodded, “I will get it ready for you.” She replied.

Kyungsoo rubbed his face, mumbling out a, “Thank you.”

She gave him a bow before leaving him alone in the room.

He let out a sigh and looked ahead. Just WHAT was that dream? He still felt his heart beating fast from the fear he had felt. He pouted as he realized he wouldn’t even be able to see Baekhyun today to tell him about it. The latter always knew what to say and do to make him feel better. He looked around and realized that the pigeon…was actually in his room. He smiled as he saw it in its cage, sleeping soundly.

He hopped out of bed and began writing on a small scroll in his room. He was unable to see Baekhyun today, but that didn’t mean that he would still be unable to tell him about the dream.

***

Baekhyun adjusted his headband and dusted off his robe as he made sure that he looked presentable for today. The Solaris ball was a mere sunrises away and he needed to make sure that he looked fine as he walked alongside his parents. It was in Solaris tradition that the royal family would extend an invitation personally to everyone in the kingdom. It was seen as essential and it has been done this way for as long as he could remember.

“Your highness,” One of the servants called out. She entered into his room and eyed him. Baekhyun sent her a smile, “Good morning Lisa.” He greeted.

She sent him a small smile back, “My lord, your parents are waiting for you.”

Baekhyun nodded, “I am ready.” He announced. He took a step towards her, but stopped as he heard the flapping of wings come from behind him. He let out a small gasp and turned around. By the window was his white pigeon with the satchel around him. Baekhyun turned to Lisa, “I remembered…I need to feed my pigeon. Tell my parents I will be down in a bit.” 

Lisa sent him a small bow, “I will let them know. But please, make haste. I don’t want them to grow impatient because of me.”

Baekhyun let out a small chuckle, “Of course.” He replied.

She shut the door and he heard as she made her way away. He waited, but then turned around and reached for the satchel on the pigeon. The bird grew a bit scared and walked back, but Baekhyun merely smiled, “I’m sorry.” He apologized as he grabbed the satchel and pulled it off gently. “I didn’t mean to frighten you.” He eyed his small bird as it scratched its beak with its foot. He smiled and walked over to get bird seed. “For being a good bird, I’ll give you two servings. How does that sound?”

The pigeon walked towards him while making small sounds. Baekhyun giggled and poured out a small pile. The pigeon began pecking at the food as Baekhyun took out the scroll from inside. He grinned wide as he began to unravel it:

_To My fiancé Baekhyun_

_How did you sleep darling? Did you sleep well? I hope you did. Did you dream with the angels as I instructed? Then again…I’m not sure if angels can dream of themselves. I slept last night thinking of you, as always._

_But, that is not what I wanted to speak about. I actually had a terrible nightmare that I wish to tell someone about. Since my knights are busy today, you are the only other person I truly trust with my life. Therefore, I wrote this in hopes that you will read it soon._

_My nightmare actually had you in it. We were both children and my knights were next to me unconscious. They were also children. Chanyeol and Jongdae were also in it, they were crying behind you as you tried to stop a man from hurting me. I presume that man had hurt my knights. It was terrifying and I woke up feeling fear all over my body._

_Anyway, I actually feel much better as I write it down. I do not feel as frightened anymore. The Moon festival is only a few moons away. Are you ready for it? I am honestly very excited and anxious for it. I cannot wait to show you off. Although your face needs to be covered, if they only see your smile or catch a glimpse of your eyes, I know for certain the entire kingdom will grow jealous._

_I cannot wait until I can have you in my arms again._

_Yours Truly,  
Kyungsoo_

Baekhyun felt a slight blush creeping up on his cheeks and his hand covered his mouth to keep from giggling. Kyungsoo was such a romantic…he loved it! He was so in love with the Monalet prince, there wasn’t a doubt in his mind.

He quickly got out a piece of his scroll and his feather pen. He dipped it in ink and began writing a letter back. If Kyungsoo was able to make him feel shy, then he would definetly return the favor. Once satisfied with his letter, he rolled it neatly and placed it in the satchel. The pigeon quickly understood and perched itself atop the window.

Baekhyun walked next to the pigeon and placed a small kiss on top of its head. “That’s for Kyungsoo.” He whispered.

The pigeon looked out the window and flapped its wings as it took off towards Monalet kingdom.

“Baekhyun?”

Baekhyun turned around to face the door and saw as Chanyeol peeked his head inside of his room.

“Oh…your parents are growing impatient.”

Baekhyun scoffed, “Sorry. I was writing a letter to Kyungsoo.”

Chanyeol rolled his eyes playfully as he let himself inside. “Well…that makes sense.”

“What are you doing today?” Baekhyun asked as he walked towards him.

Chanyeol pouted, “That’s a good question.”

On the day that they handed invitations to everyone, no one was to accompany the royal family. It was only going to be the king, queen, and prince. That meant that Chanyeol and Jongdae technically had a day where they could do whatever they wished. But Jongdae had gone on a hunting party where he was appointed the leader. The rest of the knights were busy training.

“Why don’t you train the younger knights?” Baekhyun asked.

Chanyeol shrugged, “It’s a day where I don’t have to do anything…I kind of want to relax.”

“Then do it.” Baekhyun replied.

“But, I hate being alone.”

Baekhyun laughed, “Why don’t you visit Sehun? The priestess is most likely at the temple asking the Sun Goddess to bless the day of the ball. And his dad is probably in the hunting party with Jongdae. He is probably lonely today too.”

Chanyeol suddenly beamed, “That’s a great idea!”

Baekhyun nodded, “And…you can ask him for advice on how to get closer to Jongin.” The day that Sehun met the Monalets, he instantly bonded with Jongin. They acted as if they had been friends for a long time.

Chanyeol furrowed his brows, “And why would I want that?”

Baekhyun bit his bottom lip and raised an eyebrow, “You really want me to answer?”

Chanyeol blushed and looked away, “Ya! Go away Baekhyun! Your parents are waiting for you.”

Baekhyun laughed again and playfully shoved the knight, “I’ll see you later.”

***

Kyungsoo and his knights looked up at the lanterns that were being hung across the marketplace. He was luckily able to take a break from his princely duties today and instead decided to walk around the kingdom. The decorations were already being hung for the moon festival. It would only be about three more moons until it began. They had decided to not see the Solarians until then. It was too risky to leave while the preparations took place. It was almost certain that they would send a search party if Kyungsoo were to go missing for even a short while.

“Kyungsoo!” He heard a cheerful voice call out to him.

Kyungsoo turned his head and saw a bright smile greeting him. “Hello Jimin.” He greeted.

The younger bowed a bit and tilted his head, “What are you doing here?”

“Simply looking over how everything is going. Do you have your outfit for the festival?”

Jimin nodded, “Of course! Word in town is saying you are bringing someone. Is that true?”

Kyungsoo smiled wide as he thought of the person he was bringing with him. The Moon God was about to bless him and Baekhyun on their journey to reunite their kingdoms. He was beyond ecstatic. “I suppose good news travels fast huh?”

Jimin beamed, “So it’s true!?”

“Shhh…” Kyungsoo replied softly, “Let’s try to keep it a surprise until then, deal?”

Jimin nodded, “Of course.”

“Jimin!” Seulgi yelled out as she ran towards them. “You promised to help with the cake.”  Her eyes lifted towards Kyungsoo and she sent him a small smirk. “Pardon me your majesty, but please don’t interrupt my assistant.”

Kyungsoo laughed, “I apologize Seulgi. Did Jimin volunteer to help you?”

Seulgi nodded, “He did.”

Seulgi’s family was in charge of making the cake for this year. They would be in charge of designing it and making enough for the entire kingdom. Starting on it as soon as possible was a wise choice.

“We started on it yesterday morning. But if we want it done in time, we need to continue today.” Seulgi replied.

“That explains the slight white powder across his nose.” Jongin replied with a grin.

Jimin crossed his eyes as he looked down at the bridge of his nose. He shook his head and extended his hand to rub away the said powder.

Seulgi giggled, “You really are clumsy.”

Jimin looked down at her slowly, a small smile creeping up on his lips. “A little bit.”

Jongin raised an eyebrow, “So…Jimin, are you bringing someone to the moon festival this year? Or are you going with friends again?”

Jimin turned over at him, “I…am taking someone.”

Minseok smirked, “Oh really? Who?”

Seulgi gulped and looked away, “I suppose you will have to wait and see.”

Kyungsoo rolled his eyes, “Oh, I wonder who it could be…” He sent her a knowing smile. Seulgi merely laughed.

“How about you Jongin? Are you bringing someone?”

Jongin shook his head, “Nope. I haven’t found anyone yet.”

Minseok looked over at him, “Whoever you bring needs to be approved by me first.”

Jongin rolled his eyes, “Too protective.”

They all let out a laugh as they shook their heads.

“I think Minseok might be worse than my father.” Seulgi replied. “Jimin was terrified to ask for permission, but my dad wasn’t that bad.” She suddenly clammed up as she realized what she had just confessed.

Jimin went bright red, “Err…I think we should get to work on the cake, right?”

Seulgi nodded, “Of course!”

Minseok rolled his eyes, “Don’t be so embarrassed. You won’t be the only ones asking for the Moon God’s blessing this year.”

Jimin smiled, “That’s true.” He extended his hand to grab Seulgi’s, but she quickly swatted it away.

“Not until we receive the Moon Gods blessing!” She insisted. She looked over at Kyungsoo, “Isn’t that right?”

Kyungsoo chuckled. He wasn’t sure if he was the right person to ask about that considering all he had done with Baekhyun already. When courting someone, one should never go further than a hug if the Moon God had not blessed them yet. But, he had already broken that rule too. “It is the rule.” Kyungsoo replied. But, just like Baekhyun had said once, the rules may need to be bent a bit. The latter was such a bad influence.

Seulgi nodded, “If you’ll excuse us now, we need to work on the cake.”

Jongin waved them goodbye, “See you at the festival.”

Kyungsoo looked away and saw as everyone worked together to decorate the marketplace. Soon, everything would be closed so that the streets could be full of food. There will be live music and people cheering as everyone rejoiced. There would be children running around happily and friends playing games as they danced. Families all come together to enjoy themselves, while couples stay side by side as the Moon God blesses their relationship.

“Kyungsoo, I’m going to help with painting the walls.” Jongin said as he pointed towards them.

Kyungsoo nodded, “I’m going to help the cooks.” He replied.

They each had a part they needed to get done. They all needed to help one another so that they could bring this day to life. Monalet prospered because everyone was equal. They each had a job to do and each did it with as much sincerity as the next.

***

Chanyeol made his way down towards Sehun’s home. The knight was so bored at his private quarters. Baekhyun had already left because of the Solaris ball invitations. And Jongdae was out leading the hunting party. He was never good with being alone, he grew bored and lonely quickly. If he could, he would ask Jongin if he wanted to hang out with him. But, it wasn’t as if he could simply waltz into Monalet asking to see Jongin. He might get mobbed…or worse.

Although it may seem like was complaining, he actually didn’t mind going over to see Sehun. He missed hanging out with the latter and can’t really remember why he stopped seeing him when they were younger.

He walked by the marketplace when he suddenly saw who he was looking for. The guy in question was walking out of the bakery, with a loaf of bread in a small basket. He had on a yellow cape with the hood down, exposing his head, but hiding his shoulders.

“Sehun!” Chanyeol called out.

Sehun turned over to face him and a wide smile sprawled across his features. “Chanyeol, what are you doing here?”

The knight walked briskly towards him, “I was actually walking towards your house to see you.”

Sehun raised an eyebrow and tilted his head, “Why?”

Chanyeol laughed, “Don’t give me such a clueless expression! I was simply bored at home.”

Sehun smiled. “I see. Well…good thing you didn’t get to my home. I wasn’t going to be home for a while actually.”

Chanyeol nodded as he eyed Sehun’s basket. “I can see that.”

Sehun smiled, “I’m going to pick tangerines to make juice. Would you like to come with me?”

Chanyeol nodded, “I would love to! Where are you going?”

“Youngjae told me they have a lot of leftover tangerines. They are going to throw them away because they will be going bad very soon. So, he told me I could help myself.”

Youngjae’s family were known to be farmers in the kingdom. Youngjae was one of the kindest souls anyone could ever have the pleasure of meeting. Chanyeol was not surprised that he allowed Sehun to take as much tangerines as he wanted.

“I am in charge of making dinner today, since my mother and father won’t be home until later.” Sehun replied. “So, I came out to buy bread and we have some leftover meat at home. I thought juice would be great to make since my parents will most likely be exhausted when they get home.”

Chanyeol nodded, “That’s a great idea. I would love to help you with that.”

They both eagerly made their way towards Youngjae’s farm, passing by the friendly townspeople.

“So Chanyeol, when are we seeing our friends again?” Sehun asked.

Chanyeol shushed him as his eyes widened, “Sehun!” He said barely above a whisper.

Sehun laughed, “You made it suspicious by shushing me. I said our friends, no names.”

Chanyeol shook his head, “Let’s play it safe.”

Sehun smiled and nodded, “Alright. Is Baekhyun taking someone to the Solaris ball? Everyone is dying to know.”

“You know the answer to that.”

Sehun nodded, “I do. How long has he been in love with him?”

Chanyeol shrugged, “Who knows. I noticed it a while ago. Before he even knew.”

Sehun nodded. Sehun noticed it long before Chanyeol and Jongdae did.

“His farm is so close!” Sehun exclaimed. Chanyeol could already see the farm greeting them. Youngjae was in the field picking something from the ground.

“Youngjae!” Sehun called out.

Youngjae perked his head up and looked towards the sound. He beamed once he saw Sehun and Chanyeol. He waved the both of them over as he stood.

“Youngjae! It has been too long!” Chanyeol greeted as he got closer.

Youngjae grinned wide, “It has! Why haven’t you come more often? Too busy with his highness?”

Chanyeol nodded, “Today is the only day I get a break.”

Youngjae nodded, “Yes, he came by earlier to invite us to the palace for the ball. I had no idea that the ball was practically here.”

Chanyeol mused as he agreed, “It seems like only yesterday we were having the Solaris ball last year. Now, it is time to get ready for the next one.”

“Are you bringing anyone this year?” Youngjae asked.

Sehun shook his head, “No one has caught my eye.”

“Perhaps we should look outside of the kingdom. Word of the town is saying Baekhyun is bringing a prince from another kingdom…is there any truth to that?”

Chanyeol smirked. Baekhyun was head over heels for the prince that he was bringing to the ball. He had never seen the prince so in love before. Chanyeol merely shrugged as a response, “I suppose we will have to wait and see.”

Youngjae nudged the knight, “You know something.” He coaxed.

Chanyeol lifted up his hands, feigning innocence. “I know nothing.”

Sehun laughed, “He won’t spill, we can try all day but nothing will work.”

Youngjae chuckled, “Did you still want the tangerines Sehun?”

Sheun nodded, “Yes please. If it’s not too much trouble.”

Youngjae lifted his hand up in protest, “No, no trouble at all. They are all picked and ready to go.”

Sehun and the knight followed Youngjae inside his home. The tangerines were all in a basket piled atop of each other. The farmer reached out and took it in his hand, “I hope this is enough.”

Sehun grinned wide as he eagerly took them from him, “This is more than enough! Thank you so much. Are you sure you do not need them?”

Youngjae shook his head, “You are more than welcome to take every single one! If you have leftover, give some to Chanyeol.”

Chanyeol let out a small snicker, “Yeah, I would love to have some Sehun.”

Sehun smiled brightly at him, “Alright, I’ll give you one.”

Youngjae let out a holler as Chanyeol placed his hand over his chest. “So stingy it hurts.”

***

“How much do we need to make juice?” Asked Chanyeol as he squeezed the juice into a small container.

Sehun continued to cut them with a small cutting knife and would hand them over to Chanyeol who was squeezing them into the pitcher. “I’m not sure. Let’s just keep going until I think it’s enough.”

Chanyeol pressed his lips together as he squeezed, “Sehun, I think we add water too.”

Sehun looked over at him, “I know that. And honey too.” He replied.

Chanyeol laughed, “Why am I doing the hard part?”

Sehun chuckled as he went over next to him. He picked up one of the tangerines that were sliced and began squeezing into the pitcher. “Alright, I’ll help you.” He replied playfully.

Chanyeol laughed, “I’m helping YOU.”

“But because, YOU are bored. So…I’m helping you.”

Chanyeol rolled his eyes. He didn’t even bother replying back. The younger would simply have another remark to reply with, not that he minded. Sehun was fun to be around.

“Hey, I actually have a question.” Sehun told him.

Chanyeol nodded in acknowledgment. “What is it?”

“If Baekhyun is bringing Kyungsoo to the ball, are Jongin and Minseok coming too?”

Chanyeol smiled, “You learn names fast.” He replied with a snort. “But yes. They will be coming too.”

Sehun smiled, “Then that means you have a date too then huh?”

Chanyeol froze for a bit then shook his head, “I don’t have a date.”

Sehun smirked, “Sure you don’t. It’s so obvious. I bet you still like him, huh?”

Chanyeol looked over at him, “What?”

Sehun looked back, “You like Jongin, don’t you?”

Chanyeol shook his head, “No!” He replied with a blush. “Jongin is just a really good friend.”

Sehun chuckled, “I knew you would say that.”

Chanyeol shrugged, “Anyway...change topic. You want to hear something ridiculous?”

“Of course!” Sehun replied.

Chanyeol chuckled, “As kids, I used to have a crush on you because you saved me from the stream in the secret clearing.” Chanyeol in no way had any feelings for Sehun, not romantically anyway. But as kids, he grew infatuated with him after he pulled him out of the stream. He remembers clearly when he fell in and the hand that tugged on his and patted his back to make sure that all of the water was out of his system.

Sehun laughed, “I never saved you! I can’t even swim you oaf!”

Chanyeol looked at him wide eyed, “Yes you did! And then I remember having a crush on you afterwards.”

Sehun shook his head, “That wasn’t me! That was—“ He looked over at Chanyeol who’s eyes were beaming. They held curiosity and confusion in them. Is it possible that Chanyeol truly didn’t remember anything? Are all of their memories truly repressed? Was Sehun the only one that bears the burden of those memories?

“Was who?” Chanyeol questioned.

“Hmmm…I actually don’t remember.” Sehun lied, “But I know for certain that I never saved you.” He looked back down at the pitcher and continued squeezing out the juice from the citrus fruit.

Chanyeol pouted, “But…it had to be you. The one that saved me was small. Baekhyun and Jongdae were older, they couldn’t have been that small. I remember seeing baby teeth!”

Sehun shrugged, “I have no idea Chanyeol. Perhaps…someone that we met as children? It isn’t that big of a deal.”

Chanyeol scoffed as he shrugged, “I suppose you’re right. It happened so long ago.”

***

Kyungsoo stood up as he finished his meal, “Excuse me, I will be right back.” Kyungsoo responded as he wiped his mouth.

“Kyungsoo, we still have work to do to get the festival ready.” The queen replied before he could leave.

Kyungsoo turned around and smiled at her, “I am simply going to get into something more comfortable. I will be out when I am ready.”

His mother smiled, “Alright Kyungsoo, hurry back.”

He gave her a slight bow and went towards his room. He would simply get into much older clothes so that he could aid in the preparations. There is no need to dress up in his elegant robes if he will simply get them dirty.

He opened his door and made his way inside. Just before he could reach for his clothes, a small scroll caught his eye. The pigeon was laying on his bed, with the scroll sticking out of the satchel.

Kyungsoo grinned wide and immediately grabbed the satchel to pull it off the bird. He opened it up to reveal the scroll inside:

_My Kyungsoo,_

_I was unable to sleep with you, therefore, how was I able to sleep with an angel? How are you feeling now? I hope that nightmare didn’t make you too scared. I would be willing to fight a million armies if it meant that you would have no fear._

_What I find rather peculiar, is that I have also had dreams of us as children. Strange isn’t it? Although…mine have all been happy and have never had me feeling scared. I wish that I could have been there for you when you needed me._

_I promise that next time I see you, I will wrap you up in my arms to make sure that you are safe. You mean the world to me and nothing else matters. I cannot wait until I see you again._

_Oh! I wish to tell you one more thing, I want you to know that you never have to feel jealous. I am your fiancé and there is no need for you ever feel I will want anyone but you._

_Besides…I’m the one that should be jealous…my fiancé is handsome beyond words. I know for a fact that others will be eyeing him. But…I know he is mine. You are MINE Kyungsoo!_

_Forever Yours,  
Baekhyun _

Kyungsoo looked away from the letter, blushing profusely. He shook his head to calm his racing heart and took a deep breath. There was no way he could throw these letters away anymore. He didn’t want to! He wanted to cherish each one. But, it’s getting dangerous to keep them stashed in his room. He pondered and realized…that there was a place to keep him hidden.

“Kyungsoo!” Someone called out from outside his room. He licked his lips as he hid the letter where he had the others.

He got dressed quickly and walked out to continue preparations for the Moon festival.


	26. The Secret Scrolls

_Sometimes…I sit and wonder if perhaps I should have told Chanyeol the truth that day. But Jongdae tells me that it would not have made a difference._

_Minseok says that if I would have told him, then things would have simply been worse._

_I…am not sure if either of them are true. Maybe…just maybe if I would have told Chanyeol everything I knew then perhaps…something could have changed. I have pondered this so many times…sometimes I hate myself for what happened._

_I should have done more! The nightmares still come and I run to where Jongdae and Minseok sleep. They don’t mind. Depending on what bed I climb in, they welcome me with open arms._

_They confessed to me that even they enjoy company instead of sleeping alone. Sometimes we talk about what happened. We all have nightmares about it sometimes. I try not to let my mind wander to what I saw. But…I still remember clearly the screams and the innocents…Baekhyun…_

_Anyway…I need to tend the fields now. If I write about it too much my eyes get watery and I can’t stop the tears from falling. I don’t want this scroll getting wet._


	27. The Moon Festival

“Jongin!” Kyungsoo yelled out as the servants placed the robe on him. He had his arms spread out as they dressed him precisely in the beautiful dark blue gown. It was the color of the night with silver lining that looked like the stars that adorned the night sky. The crown that was to be placed on his head for this evening was aligned with pearls, the color of the silver lining on the robe.

Jongin rushed into Kyungsoo’s room. He still had on his sleeping robe as he was not going to get ready until a little later.

“Have they arrived yet?” Kyungsoo asked.

Jongin smiled. “Minseok and Taemin are at the front waiting for them. They will take them into our private quarters to get them ready.”

Kyungsoo let out a sigh. The plan was for Baekhyun and his knights (along with Sehun) to come into the kingdom a little before the sun set. There, they would get into the gowns that are traditional to Monalet. They would get dressed in the private quarters of his knights and Taemin, two in each.

“Just make sure they are safe.” Kyungsoo told him.

Jongin nodded vigorously, “You simply worry about getting ready. We will handle the rest.”

Kyungsoo scoffed, “I don’t have a choice.”

Jongin laughed and ran off excitedly, leaving Kyungsoo alone with the ones that were helping him with his robes.

The servants giggled as they tied a robe around his waist, “Your highness, just who is this person that is coming?”

“Everyone in the kingdom is anticipating his arrival. He must be extremely important to you if you are speaking to Jongin in that manner.”

Kyungsoo remained poker faced, fighting back a small smile as he stared ahead. “I just wish for him to feel comfortable, along with his guests.”

The servant smiled, “I’m sure everything will turn out fine. I just don’t understand why he isn’t stepping inside of the castle so that we can help with his robe.”

The servant next to her nodded, “Yes, it would be nicer to get him ready in the castle than in the knight’s private quarters.”

“They all feel more comfortable with Minseok and Jongin.” Kyungsoo replied. “If they wish to dress in their private quarters, then I simply comply.”

The servants smiled wide, “We understand your highness. Today will go great.”

***

Jongin ran over to the room that he and Minseok shared. He was going in to ask why Minseok and Taemin were no longer waiting by the entrance to the kingdom. But he quickly got his answer once he got inside. He swung the door open and his eyes beamed once he saw who was inside. The four Solarians were inside with Taemin and Minseok with them.

Jongin smiled wide and walked towards them, “How long have they been here?” He asked.

Minseok looked over at him, “Not long.” He replied.

The four Solarians looked visibly nervous as the hood of their cape drooped over their foreheads. Sehun held Jongdae’s hand tightly as he pressed himself into him. He was taller than the knight, but seemed so small.

“So, how is this going to work?” Taemin asked.

“Two will get ready here in our private quarter. While the other two will get ready in yours.” Minseok replied.

Taemin nodded, “Very well. And who will that be?”

The Monalets looked over at the Solarians who looked at them curiously. They understood the plan, but were unsure as to what to say. They would simply trust that their friends would choose the best paths for them.

“I…think its best that Chanyeol or I stay with Baekhyun. The other could be with Sehun.”  Jongdae piped in.

Baekhyun nodded, “However it is we are split up, I want Jongdae to be with Sehun.” He knew that both of his knights were very skilled, but Jongdae was a bit more agile with his sword. If something went wrong, which he doubted, he wanted Sehun to be safe. Since Jongdae was a bit more agile, he would do much better protecting someone that was unable to defend themselves.

Jongin smiled, “Very well. How about, Jongdae and Sehun go with me to Taemin’s room. Baekhyun and Chanyeol can stay here with Minseok.”

Minseok nodded, “That works.”

Jongin reached from somewhere behind Minseok to grab two small boxes made of woven straw. “Alright, let’s go.” He replied cheerfully.

Sehun clung on tighter to Jongdae as the elder took a step to follow Taemin outside. Jongdae smiled and placed his hand above Sehun’s, “Don’t be so nervous.” He replied soothingly. “You know I would never let anything happen to you.”

Sehun looked over at him and sent him a shy smile. Taemin caught a glimpse of it and immediately looked away. He shouldn’t be looking at such a tender moment. The smile that was given was not towards him. Besides…the younger wasn’t even THAT good looking. There was no reason to gawk at a smile.

Jongdae and Sehun walked closely behind Taemin as he led the way to his room. Jongin was right behind them to make them feel more secure as they walked. “Are you nervous?” Jongin asked.

Jongdae turned to look at him, “Excited mostly.”

Jongin smiled, “You’re going to love it!” He exclaimed happily.

Once they got inside and made sure no one would be able to enter, they sat them on the bed.

“Are you ready?” Jongin asked.

“For what?” Sehun asked as he and Jongin took off their hoods.

Jongin opened the basket that he was carrying and pulled out two robes. One was the color of the sky with a slight white shade to it. The other was a lighter shade of blue, much like the blue on the nightshade flowers.  

The Solarians mouth dropped open, “This is what we are wearing?”

Jongin nodded proudly. “Yes. Now get out of your current clothes.”

***

Chanyeol and Baekhyun stayed behind with Minseok. They took off their capes and tossed them on top of one of the beds as Minseok had instructed.

“Who is going to prepare us?” Chanyeol asked.

“Me.” Minseok replied as he took out a basket from behind him.

“You?” Chanyeol questioned.

Minseok placed the basket on top of the bed, “Yes.” He replied as he pulled a robe that was neatly folded inside. “This one is for you Chanyeol.” He said as he held it up on display. Chanyeol extended his hands and took it. It was as dark as his hair with a small gray stripe going down the front.

“Mine?”

Minseok smiled, “Yes yours. I had them custom made for all of you.” Minseok grinned wide as he peered in the box. “And this…” he pulled out a robe that was the color of the night sky. It had silver lining that made it look like stars had fallen and landed a top of it. Baekhyun’s mouth dropped at how beautiful it was.

“This is yours Baekhyun.” Minseok handed it to Baekhyun who took it in his hands tenderly.

“Minseok…this is beautiful.” He replied as he eyed the garment. He did not feel worthy of holding such an amazing gown.

“It is modeled after Kyungsoo’s. That way…everyone will know who you belong to. It’s like a Monalet tradition for those that are couples to wear matching if not the same garments.”

Baekhyun looked up at him, “Everyone will know…who I am accompanying?”

Minseok nodded, “Everyone will know you belong to the prince of Monalet.”  He pulled out a golden crown from the box that had silver pearls adorned atop of it. “And this…will announce to everyone that you are a prince yourself. I wanted to keep a piece of your culture in it. So…I asked them to make it a golden crown instead of silver.”

Baekhyun looked away as he scoffed. He was so lucky to have made such wonderful friends. Monalet was nothing like he had been taught. He looked up and took the crown in between his hands, “Thank you Minseok.”

***

Sehun giggled as Jongin tied the sash around the younger’s waist.

Jongin smiled wide, “Don’t laugh, it makes it harder to tie this.”

Sehun put on a poker face as he did his best to contain his laughing fit. It wasn’t his fault that it tickled so much.

Jongdae stood by the bed, ready to go. Jongin and Taemin had focused on getting him ready first and he had been much easier than Sehun. The knight had barely moved as they placed the robe over him. He hadn’t even moved when Taemin painted his eyes a bit to help him stand out. Sehun on the other hand was a completely different story.

“Alright.” Jongin said. “You’re ready. I’ll get dressed while Taemin paints your eye lids.”

Sehun nodded as his gaze shifted over to the other knight. Taemin suddenly felt small as the Solarian stared into him. He had such an intense stare when he wasn’t smiling. He being so handsome did not help matters at all.

“Err…” Taemin muttered out as he dipped his brush into some paint. “Alright,” He said as he reached out with the brush in hand. Sehun shut his eyes and Taemin got to work with gentle strokes. Sehun pierced his lips together until Taemin was finished. Taemin noticed that Sehun had not a single blemish on his skin. It was as if the angels had personally crafted his face, which sent a weird feeling in his stomach. How was it fair that a Solarian could be this attractive?

“That’s it.” He said as he parted. The Solarian opened his eyes slowly, a light shade of blue glistening.

Taemin quickly walked away before a blush could creep up. This was stupid…incredibly stupid. He should not feel in awe over a Solarian.

“Wow…Sehun you look amazing.” Jongdae complimented as he walked over to the younger.

Sehun grinned wide, “So do you.” He told Jongdae.

Jongin quickly sat next to them with his black robe on. “You both look incredible! I bet many people are going to want to know who you are.” Jongin reached behind him and pulled out a small black mask. “You’re going to need wear these to hide the bottom of your faces. We don’t want to risk anything.”

The Solarians nodded as they took both of them in their hands.

“Your eyes look mesmerizing.” Jongin added as he looked at the both of them. “Don’t they Taemin?”

Taemin looked over, but looked away quickly. “Yes, they look great.”

Jongin bit his bottom lip and looked back at his friends. “You guys look amazing.”

Jongdae and Sehun were ecstatic over the way they looked.

***

“Wow…” Chanyeol gasped out as Minseok parted away from Baekhyun. The knight was already in his black robes ready for the festival. The moon was officially out, meaning that it had already commenced.

Baekhyun opened his eyes slowly and looked around. He didn’t feel any different, but Chanyeol and Minseok were both grinning ear to ear at him. He raised an eyebrow at them. “You look good Chanyeol.” He complimented.

Chanyeol shook his head, “Kyungsoo is going to go crazy when he sees you.” He replied.

Baekhyun pouted, “What do you mean?”

Minseok lifted up a small mirror from somewhere by his bed, “See for yourself.” He said.

Baekhyun looked into it and nearly gasped at what he saw. It was…him…at least he thought it was. The person that he saw in the mirror had dark blue on his eye lids, with silver adorning it as well. The robe he wore fit him perfectly and looked like something only a God would wear.

“What do you think?” Minseok asked.

Baekhyun scoffed, “What do I think? Minseok…this is too much.” He looked over at him, “I don’t deserve such a lavished look.”

Minseok shook his head, “Nonsense Baekhyun. You are Kyungsoo’s fiancé now. I want you to be the embodiment of everything we treasure in Monalet, the moon.”

Baekhyun smiled at him, “Thank you.”

A knock on the door all caused them to turn their heads towards it. Sehun burst in happily, “Guys! We’re ready!” He exclaimed.

Jongdae and he had black masks that covered the bottom portion of their face. But their eyes and the paint that was decorated above them were perfectly visible.

“You guys look amazing!” Chanyeol exclaimed as he walked towards them. “It looks like waves on your eyes! And the morning sky!” He reached out to touch their eyes and Jongdae grabbed his hand, “Watch it giant. Taemin worked hard on this.”

Chanyeol giggled and his eyes landed on Jongin, who was behind the two. Jongin’s mouth was wide open as his eye twitched. “Wh—“ His eyes darted to Minseok, “Why is his outfit the same as mine?”

Minseok held back a laugh as he cleared his throat, “Oh? Really? I didn’t notice.”

Taemin let out a scoff, “Well…that’s going to be funny, isn’t it.”

Chanyeol straightened up, “Is that bad?” He looked over Jongin, who looked mesmerizing in his black gown. His eye lids were also painted black with gold spots in certain areas. He noticed that his own gown and eyelid paint were identical to the Monalet knight’s.

Minseok shook his head, “Of course not. Right Jongin?”

Jongin pouted, “Well…” He blushed and looked away, “No…not necessarily.”

 “I think it’s really fitting.” Baekhyun responded.

Jongdae and Sehun looked over at him and both their eyes widened. “Baekhyun?” Jongdae questioned. “I thought you were a porcelain doll.”

Baekhyun’s mouth dropped, “Ok…now I know that’s too much.”

Sehun walked over to him, “Wow…you look…amazing.”

Baekhyun shook his head, “I look like myself.”

Minseok scoffed, “I did a good job, didn’t I?’ He walked over to the last basket by the bed. “I’ll get ready and then we can all head out.” He said.

The five of them nodded. They were all ready to go with their eye lids all painted and outfits on. Chanyeol stole glances at Jongin. He couldn’t believe that it was possible for the other to look more handsome. Jongin noticed and let out a small scoff. He lavished the attention if it was from Chanyeol, but he couldn’t let him know that. Sehun on the other hand was completely oblivious to the one that continued to stare at him in awe.

“By the way.” Jongin began. “You and Chanyeol need to wear these. Just for extra precautions.” He handed them the masks that would cover the bottom half of their faces.

***

Kyungsoo sat on a small high chair a bit away from the events that were taking place in front of him. Everyone was dancing, eating, and having a good time. Kyungsoo on the other hand, was anxiously waiting for Baekhyun.

“Kyungsoo,” The queen whispered from next to him. “Are you sure you invited someone?”

Kyungsoo looked up at her, “Yes, I am sure.”

He looked ahead and was greeted with the sight of BamBam and Yugyeom dancing with big smiles on their faces. They had just pledged their eternal love under the Moon for the Moon God to see. He let out a huff as he looked away.

“Kyungsoo, I understand that I was pestering you about bringing someone, but that was no reason to lie to me.”

Kyungsoo shut his eyes and looked down, “I did not lie.”

“Anyway…many have been eyeing you. How about getting to know someone that came. You can ask them to dance.”

Kyungsoo knew what he wanted…and he wasn’t here at the moment. He didn’t want anyone that was eyeing him currently. “He is coming. He promised me.”

“People are dying to see this mystery person Kyungsoo. For your sake, you’d better not be lying.”

Kyungsoo looked up at her, “I am not lying.”

He looked ahead once more and was only greeted with children playing a game as they ran around. Couples danced and families all ate together. Where was Baekhyun?

He rested his head on his hand, but suddenly perked up as he saw something from the distance. He squinted and realized that it was Minseok walking towards him. His eyes scanned around and that’s when they landed on his Baekhyun. He stood and straightened up. Some people noticed and quickly turned their heads to see what Kyungsoo was looking at. Coming towards the prince was a small group, Minseok was leading it.

As Baekhyun got closer, Kyungsoo noticed more and more what he looked like. He looked…beautiful. Of course he would look so much more radiant if his smile were visible, but the gown that trailed behind him flowed and he walked so graciously, almost as if he was some kind of angel striding to him.

Minseok stood in front of Kyungsoo, “Sorry we’re late.” He smiled.

Kyungsoo shook his head, “Don’t worry.” He replied.

Baekhyun couldn’t keep his eyes off of Kyungsoo. He looked so much like a God as he wore the outfit. He couldn’t believe that he could actually call this beautiful creature his.

The queen cleared her throat and Baekhyun looked over at her. He straightened up and walked towards her. His knights stood next to him and they all bowed to show her respect. The Solaris prince’s eyes darted up, Kyungsoo couldn’t help but stare in awe. His eyes were so mesmerizing tonight.

“Your majesty, I am accompanying the prince of Monalet tonight.” He said as he straightened up, “I hope you will be able to accept me.”

Kyungsoo stood next to Baekhyun, “If you would please excuse us…” He said.

The queen smiled and nodded, “You are both excused.”

Baekhyun suddenly felt a spark of euphoria sprawl in his chest. He had just been accepted…by the Monalet queen! Of course, he knew he was in disguise and she was unaware of who he is but it felt like they were taking baby steps. This was merely the first step in bringing peace between their kingdoms. He knew that she was unable to see the smile underneath his disguise, but if she could, she would see that Baekhyun was beyond ecstatic.

“Jongin,” The queen called out.

He perked up and blinked, “Yes your highness?”

“Is there something you would like to say?” She asked.

Jongin furrowed his brows and shook his head slowly, “No…”

She sent him a small smile and her eyes darted to Chanyeol, then back towards him.

Jongin blushed and shook his head, “It is merely a coincidence!” He blurted out.

She laughed, “If you say so Jongin.”

Kyungsoo smiled and walked towards where everyone was dancing. Baekhyun followed him, with everyone else behind him.

They made it to where everyone was dancing and goofing off. Kyungsoo turned to face Baekhyun, “What do you think?” He asked.

Baekhyun’s eyes crinkled upwards. “It’s amazing.” He replied honestly. “Your kingdom is beautiful.”

Kyungsoo smiled and took his hand. “Do you dance?”

Baekhyun nodded, “Of course.” He replied.

Jongin stood by the edge and stuck his hand out towards Chanyeol as he looked away. Chanyeol blinked as he looked down at Jongin’s hand.

“What are you--?”

“I—do you want to dance?” Jongin asked, his face still looking away.

Chanyeol turned a bit red. “Er…I can’t dance.”

Jongin turned to face him, “Just say you don’t want to.”

Chanyeol shook his head, “No no. I would love to dance with you. I am just really bad at it.”

Jongin raised an eyebrow and slowly reached out for Chanyeol’s hand. “I don’t mind.”

Chanyeol turned bright red, “You…don’t mind?”

Jongin shook his head, “No…I just want to be with…you?” he dropped his hand and looked away, “Forget it! I didn’t say anything!”

Chanyeol’s smile softened and he took Jongin’s hand, “I want to be with you too.”

Jongin’s eyes opened wide as they looked into Chanyeol’s. The elder had so much sincerity and admiration in them. He couldn’t help that he was falling. He opened his mouth and then shut it.

Chanyeol smiled at him, “You want to dance? I’ll dance with you.”

Jongin pierced his lips together to keep the smile from spreading and nodded. “Alright.”

Sehun quickly ran towards where all of the food was. He had never seen half of what was on the table, but it smelled delicious. He felt his mouth water and he reached out for something, but a giggle stopped him before he could grab anything. His eyes slowly made their way upwards and at the other side of the table, a girl eyed him curiously.

He suddenly grew shy and took a step back.

“No, no.” She encouraged as she smiled at him. “Go ahead, you just looked really cute at how excited you were.”

“Sehun!” He heard Jongdae call out. The Solaris knight caught up to him and grabbed onto his shoulder, “You can’t just run away like that.” He told him.

Sehun looked over at him, “Sorry.” He replied.

“Oh, it’s alright. Are you two new to Monalet?” Jongdae and Sehun both looked up at her. “Your little brother is more than safe.” She told Jongdae with a smile.

“Err…Yes, thank you.” Jongdae replied.

She smiled brightly at them, “I actually made the pastries.” She told Sehun.

Sehun nodded, feeling a bit shy.

Minseok and Taemin came from behind them, “You want to eat?” Minseok asked calmly.

“Oh, are they your friends Minseok?”

Minseok looked up at Seulgi and smiled, “Yes. They are friends with Kyungsoo’s beloved.”

Seulgi’s mouth dropped, “He arrived?”

Minseok nodded, “Yes, they are dancing now.”

She grinned wide, “I’m telling Jimin that we need to dance…now.” She responded as she ran off.

Sehun released the breath that he had been holding. Jongdae released the younger’s arm. “Sehun, be careful. Next time, don’t just run off like that.”

Sehun nodded as he reached for a pastry on the table. “Yes Jongdae.” He responded as he shoved it in his mouth. “Wow! These are amazing!”

Minseok nodded, “Seulgi is the best baker in the kingdom. Her pastries are always delicious.”

Sehun nodded as he reached for another. “Try one Jongdae.”

Taemin stood in front of him, “Don’t eat too much. You’ll get a stomachache.”

Sehun shook his head, “Nonsense.”

***

Baekhyun and Kyungsoo danced in the middle of everyone, laughing as people clapped for them. They were at a distance from each other while the music played an upbeat song for them.

Kyungsoo suddenly closed the distance between them and leaned in to whisper in Baekhyun’s ear, “I want to take you somewhere.” He said. He parted slowly and looked into Baekhyun’s eyes.

Baekhyun smiled and sent him a small nod.

Kyungsoo smiled wide as he grabbed Baekhyun’s hand and lead him away from everyone that was dancing. He looked back to catch BamBam and Yugyeom sending him a small smirk. Yugyeom suddenly gave him a thumbs up with a wide grin. Kyungsoo merely smiled back at him and looked ahead once more. He could feel others eyes on him and Baekhyun, but he didn’t care. If anything, he wanted to show off Baekhyun. He wanted to show the world that Baekhyun belonged to him and him alone.

“How far are we going?” Baekhyun asked as they got further away from the festival.

“Not too far.” Kyungsoo replied.

Baekhyun merely tightened his grip on Kyungsoo’s hand. He knew that wherever it was they were going, he could trust his prince.

They walked, until Baekhyun could no longer hear the music. He turned around and could still see a glimpse of the lights from the festival, but nothing more. They were on a small grassy hill still walking up.

Suddenly they stopped and Baekhyun turned to look over at Kyungsoo. A sudden burst of water flew upwards, sending small droplets onto Baekhyun’s face. Baekhyun blinked and looked up at the small stream of water that launched itself in the air. His mouth fell open and he walked towards it as he let go of Kyungsoo’s hand.

“What is that?” Baekhyun asked. There was a small watering hole in the center of the hill, with a pool of water launching out from the center. He had never seen anything like it.

“It’s called a fountain.” Kyungsoo replied. “My family made it years ago.”

Baekhyun looked back at him, “It’s manmade?!”

Kyungsoo smiled and nodded, “Yes. It is only used for…special occasions. Specifically only the Moon festival.”

Baekhyun tilted his head in curiosity. “Special occasion?”

Kyungsoo nodded, “This place is where my parents got blessed by the Moon God. The very place my grandparents and other ancestors did.”

Baekhyun pierced his lips together. “Kyungsoo, what are you…saying?”

Kyungsoo let out a small sigh, “This place is where royals confess their love and get blessed by the Moon God.”

He slowly extended his hand and grabbed onto Baekhyun’s. Baekhyun suddenly felt nervous as he looked down at his hand intertwined with Kyungsoo’s. He slowly lifted his eyes up and Kyungsoo sent him a small smile.

“Under the Moon God’s watchful eye. I proclaim my love to you Prince of Solaris.”

Baekhyun pierced his lips together as he saw Kyungsoo reach out for the mask covering the bottom half of his face and slowly remove it. He shut his eyes when he saw Kyungsoo leaning in and felt the brush of soft lips against his own. Kyungsoo grabbed onto Baekhyun’s face and held him gently. Baekhyun lifted up his hands to place them above Kyungsoo’s. He knew in that moment that this is what perfect was. Kyungsoo had become his entire world and he was not ashamed to admit it.

They parted only to catch their breath, but Baekhyun flung himself forward to catch Kyungsoo’s lips again. Kyungsoo stumbled backwards and Baekhyun only laughed into the kiss. Kyungsoo smiled into it and kissed back with just as much intensity. It started off soft and sweet, but passion began to take over as Baekhyun opened his mouth to allow Kyungsoo’s tongue entrance.

Kyungsoo suddenly parted and began to leave kisses on Baekhyun neck. Baekhyun shuddered as he caught his breath and looked up at the starry sky, “Wa—wait.” Baekhyun panted out.

Kyungsoo left his lips on Baekhyun’s neck as he smirked, “Do you really mean that?”

Baekhyun let out small breath. Did he? He caught Kyungsoo’s lips on his own again and this time pressed him against the grass below them. Kyungsoo let himself fall gently onto it and Baekhyun hovered above him, hands pressed on the grass. Baekhyun began to leave kisses on Kyungsoo’s jaw and then moved down to his neck. Kyungsoo grabbed onto Baekhyun’s arms, they were thick and his veins were beginning to show.

Baekhyun traveled down further until he reached his chest that was beginning to expose itself. Baekhyun gritted his teeth together and reached for the robe, but before he could tear it open, he stopped and shut his eyes. He let out a small sigh as he willed himself to stop. He licked his lips and sat up straight as he left Kyungsoo’s side.

Kyungsoo blinked and began to straighten himself up, “Baekhyun?”

Baekhyun sent him a small smile. “I’m sorry.”

Kyungsoo’s eyes widened as his body suddenly grew cold without Baekhyun’s touch, “You…don’t want me?”

Baekhyun’s own eyes widened and he took Kyungsoo’s hand in between his own. He pressed them to his lips as he kissed them. “Of course I do.” He responded. “But, I want to do this right, after we get married Kyungsoo.”

Kyungsoo gulped, “You’re right.” He replied.

Baekhyun rubbed his hand through the Monalet prince’s hair. “I want you…really bad.” He told him.

Kyungsoo let out a small scoff, “We can wait. I have no rush.”

Baekhyun smiled, “I can wait too.”

Kyungsoo shook his head as he smirked at him. “We should go back to the festival. There is one more thing I want you to see.”

***

Jongin walked over to a grassy pasture near the edge of the kingdom. Chanyeol had told him that he had suddenly began to feel a bit dizzy. Perhaps it was the crowd, or the fact they hadn’t drank much water, but they decided to get away to get some fresh air.

“How are you feeling?” Jongin asked as they stopped walking.

Chanyeol took in a deep breath and let himself lay down on the grass. “A little better, thank you.”

Jongin smiled as he sat next to him, “Here, drink this.” He said as he handed him a small cup filled with water.

Chanyeol looked up at him and straightened himself up to sit down. “Thank you.” He replied as he began to drink from it.

“You told me you hadn’t drank water all day today. That can be dangerous.” Jongin told him with a small grin.

Chanyeol put the empty cup onto his lap, “I was excited today. I was going to be able to see you.”

Jongin rolled his eyes playfully, “I’m flattered, thank you.”

“So…Jongin, I actually have been meaning to ask you something.”

Jongin looked over at him, “What is it?”

“Well earlier, you reacted strangely when you saw Minseok had gotten me the same robe as you. Why?”

Jongin’s smile slowly began to fade and he pierced his lips together before answering, “Err…well…it’s just strange.”

Chanyeol tilted his head, “But Baekhyun is wearing a robe identical to Kyungsoo’s.”

Jongin bit his bottom lip, “Yeah, but it’s nothing really.” He responded as he waved his hand in denial.

“Hey…are you feeling alright? You’re going red.”

Jongin blinked as he lifted up his hands to feel his face. He was definetly feeling hot. He shook his head, “I’m fine.”

“If you don’t want to tell me, it’s ok. I was just curious.”

Jongin pouted, “Usually…only couples wear identical clothes to the Moon festival.” He replied.

Chanyeol furrowed his brows, “Wh—what?”

Jongin shook his head, “It’s just….Minseok is teasing me! Don’t worry. There is nothing…okay?”

Chanyeol bit his bottom lip as he looked at Jongin attentively. The younger was looking down at his lap as he pressed his lips together. His hair was covering his eyes and his jawline was tight.

“Jongin…there is nothing?”

Jongin looked up slowly into Chanyeol’s eyes. His eyes were shining brightly in determination.

“Can you really say there is nothing between us?” Chanyeol asked once more.

Jongin let out a small scoff, “Chanyeol…what are you saying?” He replied as he looked away. He didn’t like Chanyeol, not like that. It was impossible, there was no way. Chanyeol was simply someone he cherished, nothing more.

“I…” Chanyeol gulped. “I like you Jongin. I… want to always be by your side so that we can be happy together.”

Jongin bit his bottom lip. This wasn’t supposed to happen…no…this won’t happen. He stood up from his spot, “You’re feeling better.” He replied. “We should go back.” He walked on ahead, leaving Chanyeol to feel the sting of rejection as he looked after the one he thought felt the same way about him.

***

Kyungsoo lead Baekhyun back to the crowd, where everyone had stopped dancing and were instead looking up into the sky.

“What is going on?” Asked Baekhyun.

“You’ll see.” Kyungsoo replied with a smile.

Everyone was looking up at the stars with big smiles on their faces. Even the children had stopped playing and were looking up at the sky in anticipation. Baekhyun’s eyes scanned the area and he saw many young couples were joined at the hip as they huddled closer to one another. Jongdae stood next to Minseok, while Sehun stayed close to Jongdae on the other side. Taemin stood next to Sehun opposite of Jongdae.

Kyungsoo suddenly squeezed Baekhyun’s hand and the Solaris prince looked up at him. Kyungsoo sent him a wide smile and he looked up. Baekhyun raised an eyebrow in confusion, but followed his gaze.

The sky suddenly began to light up with brilliant colors. It started off small, but it was as if the light was coming from behind the mountains. Baekhyun’s mouth dropped, he had never seen such a beautiful sight. The bright lights went from pink, purple, green and blue as they danced in the sky. A loud cheer suddenly erupted from all around them and everyone threw their hands up in the air.

Baekhyun looked around once more and everyone wore bright smiles on their faces as they hugged one another. Young couples seemed to have yelled the loudest. BamBam and Yugyeom suddenly embraced one another as tears began to accumulate in their eyes.

Kyungsoo let out a loud holler as he grabbed Baekhyun’s face in between his hands. He leaned in and placed a chaste kiss on the elder’s forehead. Baekhyun relished in the sudden affection and shut his eyes. The holler around them seemed to get even louder and Kyungsoo parted away to look at Baekhyun.

“Those colors in the sky mean that the Moon God is happy with how everything went. That includes all of the people that confessed their love today.” He placed their foreheads together as he gently whispered, “The couples that confessed tonight are meant to be together in the Moon God’s eyes.

Baekhyun couldn’t stop the smile that spread across his face. The Moon God was happy. He had seen how Kyungsoo had confessed to him and was accepting of their relationship. Baekhyun threw himself onto Kyungsoo and wrapped his arms around him.

Kyungsoo held him just as tightly if not tighter. In that moment he knew that Baekhyun was the one for him.

***

Sehun looked up at the lights in the sky and jumped up excitedly as he clung onto Jongdae’s arm. “Jongdae!” he yelled out happily.

Jongdae was staring in awe at the view above him. “This is amazing.” He replied.

Taemin and Minseok looked over at the both of them with wide grins on their faces. It was nice to know that the Solarians were enjoying themselves. Taemin looked over at Sehun and thought that maybe…if he tried to get to know the other, then it would be alright. If Baekhyun and Kyungsoo’s plan worked, then he is sure that everything could work out in the end. Perhaps even he could find happiness alongside someone he was supposed to hate.


	28. Chapter 28

_“Chanyeol? Are you alright?” Seven year old Baekhyun asked as his eyes widened in concern._

_Chanyeol let out small coughs as water fell out of his mouth. “Yes.” He replied in a high pitched voice._

_“You need to be more careful.” A shy and timid voice told him._

_Chanyeol looked up to meet the boy’s eyes. In Chanyeol’s mind, this boy was his hero. He saved him and therefore, would always be his beloved savior._

_“Thank you.” Chanyeol told him. “Now that you saved me…will you marry me? When we are all grown up?”_

_The boy smiled, baby teeth clearly visible, “Okay. When we get older, you be my husband.”_

_Sehun suddenly hugged the boy who was the same age as him, “But, he will forever be my best friend.” He told Chanyeol sternly._

_Jongdae ran over and hugged Sehun, “Sehun, you are my best friend.”_

Chanyeol stirred in his sleep and opened his eyes as his dream began to disappear. He had been having the same recurring dream ever since they came back from the moon festival. He rolled over in bed and licked his lips. Was it even a dream? It seemed more like…a memory.

The day that he had gotten saved from falling in the stream…was that what he was dreaming about? Sehun wasn’t the one who had saved him. It was someone else. He sat up in bed and looked over at Jongdae, who was still sleeping in bed.

The boy that saved him in his dream…seemed familiar, but everything was so fuzzy. He couldn’t quite put his finger on who it was. He shook his head and rested his head on his hand. The dream was beginning to fade away the more awake he grew. Sehun had told him that he was not the one that saved him that day. Was it possible that he was telling the truth? But then, who was the boy that saved him? And why couldn’t he remember?

Jongdae suddenly let out a loud exhale as he opened his eyes, catching Chanyeol’s attention. He let out a yawn and looked over at Chanyeol groggy eyed. “Why is it so bright in here?” he questioned.

Chanyeol’s eyes suddenly widened as the dream erased from his mind. He didn’t even notice that their private quarters were so bright.

He looked around and realized Jongdae was right. He scurried out of bed and peeked out the door. The other knights were already on the training grounds. His mouth opened wide as he shut the door. “Jongdae! The sun is already above our bunk.”

Jongdae quickly scurried out of bed.

***

Jongin sat on his bed, his hand rubbing through his hair. His eyes were shut as he let out a loud exhale and looked up at the ceiling of his room. Minseok was already out training the young knights. Jongin had been feeling out of it ever since the moon festival. Chanyeol had confessed to him…actually confessed!

Jongin stood up and began to pace around the room. Why did it matter that Chanyeol confessed? It didn’t matter! ...then why…couldn’t he get it out of his mind? He thought of how Chanyeol had looked when he had told him. The latter seemed so timid and nervous. And Jongin’s reaction was so…

Jongin tightened his fists and gritted his teeth. Did he like Chanyeol? No! He didn’t…no! Then why…why did his heart beat when he thought of the confession? Why did he feel happy when he thinks of the fact that Chanyeol likes him? The plan is to see them later today. How is he supposed to act? Should he behave as though he is not having conflicting emotions?

Minseok suddenly burst in, “Jongin! The younger knights are asking for you.”

Jongin looked over at him, “Hm?”

Minseok smiled and walked in, shutting the door behind him. “They want you to teach them how to ride a horse.”

Jongin pierced his lips together when it dawned on him that Minseok was speaking about the training grounds. “Oh, yes. I’ll be out.”

Minseok smiled, “Can you believe the moon festival is already over? We were so nervous to bring them over. And now…we are nervous over the Solaris ball.”

Jongin licked his lips, “Oh, yes. The ball.”

Minseok looked over at him, “Everything went great, huh?” Minseok told him with a huge grin on his face.

Jongin pierced his lips together. He had told no one about what had happened between him and Chanyeol the day of the moon festival. He wasn’t sure if he could.

“What are you doing in here anyway?”

Should he tell Minseok? The latter would not judge him…

“Minseok…” he began.

Minseok straightened up. The tone in Jongin’s voice sounded timid and unsure. “Is everything alright?”

Jongin suddenly felt tears swell up in his eyes as the realization hit him. He had rejected Chanyeol...

“I—“ He dropped his head and Minseok was by his side in an instant.

“Jongin, what’s wrong? Did someone hurt you?”

“It’s Chanyeol…”

“Chanyeol?” Minseok embraced his younger brother, “What about Chanyeol?”

“I—I think I love him.” After the words were said, Jongin leaned into Minseok and let it all out. Tears rolled down his face as Minseok tightened his grip on him.

“Shh…it’s going to be alright.”

Jongin allowed himself to be cradled in his brother’s arms, just as he used to hold him when they were children. “It’s not alright.” He sniffled.

Minseok let out a soft exhale. He knew the kingdom would never accept this, but in their own small world…it would be accepted.

“Jongin, tell him.”

Jongin shook his head, “You don’t understand. He confessed to me the day of the moon festival.”

Minseok’s eyes widened, “He…” he parted from Jongin to look him in the eyes, “Confessed?”

Jongin nodded, “And I…I ignored his confession. I treated him as though he meant nothing to me.”

Minseok sent him a small smile, “Tell him today. Tell him the truth.”

“It’s too late. He probably hates me now.”

Minseok shook his head. “It’s not too late. Besides, you will never know unless you try.”

Jongin pouted as tears rolled down his cheeks. Minseok lifted his hand to wipe them away. “Trust me Jongin. I would never advise something that I know would hurt you. You know that.”

Jongin swallowed, “You think I have a chance to make things right?”

Minseok nodded, “I know you do.”

Jongin wiped away at his own tears. “Alright, I’ll talk to him. But only if he wants to.”

Minseok grinned wide. He had seen firsthand how Chanyeol looked at Jongin. He knew that the knight had deep feelings for his brother. He was certain that Chanyeol would listen if Jongin wanted to speak to him. “I’ll let you collect yourself.” He told him as he began to head towards the door.

Jongin smiled and nodded as he continued to wipe at his eyes. He had hope that he could fix what had happened. He knew that he had messed up when he left Chanyeol sitting there. But perhaps…he could make up for it by telling him the truth today. There was no harm in trying. He just hoped that Chanyeol would give him a chance to hear him out.

***

Baekhyun looked over the outfit that was meant for the Solaris ball. It was absolutely breathtaking with a beautiful mask to match. It was a light shade of yellow, almost white with white in areas that made it stand out even more. The mask would only cover the top portion of his face, just like every other mask in the kingdom that day. He would be wearing a golden crown that day with silver diamonds adorned in every place. He had already told the seamstresses to begin on Kyungsoo’s outfit as well. It was going to be black with gold embroidery. He knew that Kyungsoo would approve of the color, so Baekhyun wishes to please his prince, as well as himself. He also knew that Kyungsoo would look wonderful in it. The color of Kyungsoo’s mask would also be black with gold embroidery to match the outfit.

“Baekhyun, what are you doing?” Asked his mother as she stepped into the room.

Baekhyun looked over at her and smiled, “I’m looking over the outfit for the ball.” He replied.

His mother ran up to him and hugged her son as he smiled into her.

“Baekhyun, I’m excited for this year. Please, can’t you tell me who this person is?”

Baekhyun shook his head, “It’s a surprise.”

She pouted, “Very well. Oh, but Taeyeon is coming. So, if your date doesn’t show up…” She wiggled her eyebrows at him and he merely let out a chuckle.

“Mother, I promise you that he is coming. And I do not have eyes for anyone else. I know for certain he is the one I wish to marry.”

Her mouth dropped, “Baekhyun! Who is he? The suspense is suffocating me.”

Baekhyun shook his head as he placed a kiss on his mother’s head, “You will just need to wait and see.”

“Very well Baekhyun. I look forward to seeing who he is.”

With just a few sunrises left, the ball was nearly here. The entire kingdom was looking for their outfits and the people in the castle were preparing the ball room for this year.

“Now if you will please excuse me mother. I am going out with my knights today.”

“Again? What have you three been doing recently? Always going out without warning.”

Baekhyun scoffed, “We simply enjoy spending free time together.”

She furrowed her brows, “Baekhyun, you aren’t hiding anything from us, right?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, you haven’t met anyone have you? In the woods?”

Baekhyun shook his head, “No…Why?”

She pierced her lips together. “Are you sure? As a child you would run in the woods a lot.”

Baekhyun thought. He can’t really remember sneaking out as a child. He only began sneaking out when he hit his teen years. “I never ran out as a child. Although, I have been having strange dreams of me as a child in the woods.”

“What are the dreams about?”

Baekhyun furrowed his brows as he concentrated. They were very peculiar dreams with Kyungsoo in them. They were all children and seemed to be friends.

“Just me and my knights as children in the woods. I can’t really remember them very well.”

The queen opened her mouth and shut it quickly, “Well…Baekhyun. They are just dreams. There is no truth to them.”

Baekhyun nodded, “I suppose you are right.”

The queen nodded and smiled. She can’t have her son remembering that boy. That boy was nothing but trouble. They made sure those memories would be erased forever.

***

“You have strange dreams too?” Asked Chanyeol as he made his way to the entrance of the kingdom. Jongdae and Sehun were already waiting for them by there so that they could leave to meet the Monalets.

“What do you mean by, too?” Baekhyun asked.

“I had a dream too. But it was of that boy that saved me when I fell in the stream.”

Baekhyun tilted his head, “Saved you?”

“Yeah, remember. I fell into a stream and someone pulled me out.”

Baekhyun laughed “It was Sehun.” He remarked.

Chanyeol shook his head, “I thought so too. But Sehun can’t swim. And in the dream it was a completely different boy.”

Baekhyun looked up to the sky as a memory tried to resurface. He remembers the day…sort of. It was a bright day and the four of them were playing. And he remembers Chanyeol falling in and...that’s it. The memory cuts off. He shook his head as he felt himself getting a headache. “You’re right…it wasn’t Sehun. Probably someone else we used to play with.”

“But who?” Chanyeol demanded.

“Guys! Hurry up!” Sehun called out.

The both of them looked over at him, completely dropping the conversation.

“You can talk over there.” Jongdae said.

The four of them gathered together on their horses (with Sehun riding with Jongdae). And rode over to the secret clearing. It was the last time they would meet before the Solaris ball and Baekhyun couldn’t wait to tell Kyungsoo about it. He wanted Kyungsoo to see what Solaris was like so badly. He knew that the latter would love Solaris.

They quickly got into the secret clearing. Baekhyun eagerly went into the shrub and saw Kyungsoo talking with Minseok. He smiled wide and ran over to him. Kyungsoo turned around and smiled just as wide. Baekhyun jumped into his arms, Kyungsoo caught him and held him tight.

“I missed you.” Baekhyun said.

Kyungsoo smiled at him, “I bet not as much as I did.”

The princes didn’t really notice the way their knights squirmed as they saw one another.

***

Jongin heard Baekhyun yell out happily as he jumped into Kyungsoo’s arms. He turned and immediately saw Chanyeol standing by the entrance to the clearing. He blushed and looked away. The confidence he had felt coming in had suddenly disappeared. Minseok appeared from behind him and gave him a gentle shove. “Jongin, don’t you think you should check on your horse outside?”

Jongin looked over at him and shook his head profusely. “No.”

Minseok nodded, “You said you would.” He scolded. “Chanyeol!” He called out.

Jongin wanted to run away back to Monalet and never come back.

“Chanyeol, can you accompany my brother outside?”

Chanyeol looked over at Minseok, eyes wide. “Me?”

Minseok chuckled, “Is there anyone else named Chanyeol?”

Jongin let out a sigh and walked past Chanyeol towards the exit. “Can you—“ Jongin gulped, “Come?”

Chanyeol stayed looking ahead, “I don’t have to if you don’t want me to.”

Jongin didn’t want to make a scene especially with everyone watching.  He licked his lips and let out a sigh, “Please.” He responded just loud enough for Chanyeol to hear.

Chanyeol slowly swayed his eyes to look at Jongin who had his back towards him.

“Please.” Jongin said once again as he walked towards the exit.

Chanyeol pierced his lips together. He supposed that he and Jongin should talk things out. But what exactly should he say? He had received his answer from Jongin the day of the Moon festival. Technically, there was no need to “talk things out”. But, if Jongin wanted to go with him, he would go. He could never say no to the latter.

“Alright.” Chanyeol responded.

Jongin nodded as he knelt down and went into the tunnel that lead outside. Chanyeol followed after without telling everyone else where he was going. They would figure out without needing him to tell them. Besides, Baekhyun was already busy with Kyungsoo and Jongdae was with Minseok, Taemin, and Sehun.

Jongin and Chanyeol both crawled to the outside. Jongin made his way over to his horse and began to rub his snout. Chanyeol merely stayed standing a distance away.

“Is your horse sick?” Chanyeol asked.

Jongin shook his head, “No, I—“Jongin gulped as he looked down. “I just…wanted to talk to you.”

Chanyeol raised an eyebrow, “Talk to me?”

Jongin pierced his lips together, “Yes. I…need to talk to you.”

Chanyeol nodded, “I’m listening.”

Jongin licked his lips, suddenly feeling a bit nervous. Where was all of the confidence he came here with? He turned around and furrowed his brows as he looked at Chanyeol, “About the moon festival…”

Chanyeol turned a slight red and lifted up his hand to rub the back of his neck. “I don’t want things to be awkward Jongin, okay? You made everything clear that night. We can pretend it never happened. That’s alright with me.”

“No Chanyeol! Listen!”

Chanyeol sighed, “It’s ok Jongin, really.”

Jongin shook his head, “I did what I did that night because I wasn’t expecting you to say that.”

“I misread things ok? Let’s just forget about it.”

Jongin shut his eyes together, it was now or never. “I don’t want to forget about it!” He shouted. “There was…IS something between us.”

Chanyeol stared at him, eyes wide and mouth ajar. Out of all the things he thought that Jongin would do, this never crossed his mind. “Wha—what?”

“I—“Jongin opened his eyes. Chanyeol face was bright red and Jongin could tell his own was also just as red if not more.

“You didn’t misread anything Chanyeol, ok? I also li—“Jongin gulped and looked away, covering his face.

Chanyeol began to feel the corner of his mouth turning upwards. Did he really just get confirmation that the most beautiful being on earth wanted him? Out of everyone Jongin could have, did he choose Chanyeol?

“You mean that?” Chanyeol asked.

Jongin scoffed, “Why else would I say it you dunce?”

Chanyeol chuckled and looked down, “Well…I’ll make a promise to you then. After our princes marry, I will court you properly.”

Jongin rolled his eyes, “And who said you can court me?”

Chanyeol took a step forward, “May I court you Jongin?”

Jongin looked over at him, “After our kingdoms unite.”

Chanyeol nodded as he extended his hand, “Promise?”

Jongin looked down at Chanyeol’s hand and reached out to intertwine their fingers together, “I promise.”

Things seemed as though they couldn’t get any better. Not even the Gods themselves could ever ruin their happiness.

***

Jongin and Chanyeol walked back inside into the clearing. They were no longer holding hands but they were connected at the hip. The six that were in the clearing were all huddled together talking about God knows what.

Once they heard them enter, they all turned and smirked.

“Congrats on the new couple!” Taemin teased.

Jongin and Chanyeol both turned red. “What?”

“Minseok told us what was going on. Why didn’t you tell us anything Chanyeol?” Jongdae asked, a slight pout on his lips.

Chanyeol’s mouth dropped, “You…know?”

“You confessed to Jongin at the moon festival?” Baekhyun asked.

Chanyeol turned even redder and looked away, “Shut it! Jongin and I spoke and have decided to take things slowly.”

Sehun pouted, “You could have just told me Chanyeol. You did before.”

“Did before?”

Sehun’s smile slowly began to fade as he realized what he had just let slip.

“He told you before?” Jongdae asked.

“That sentence doesn’t make any sense.” Jongin added.

Sehun’s mouth opened and he shut it. “I meant…did before…like…err—“ He had no idea what he should say to get out of this. He didn’t want them to know of the memories he held. It would be cruel to make them suddenly remember what he had been trying to suppress for years.

“Did before what?” Chanyeol asked.

Sehun scoffed, “I meant like…you…when you…” He suddenly remembered when Chanyeol went over to his house and they made juice together. And it gave him the saving that he needed in this moment. “When we were making juice remember? I told you that I knew you liked Jongin.”

“Ah…you were talking about that day I told you I fell in the water?”

Sehun nodded, “Yes!” He yelled excitedly. “That!”

Baekhyun pouted, “You told Sehun you liked him before you told me? I feel betrayed.”

Chanyeol rolled his eyes, “He found out and confronted me about it.”

Jongin pouted as he tilted his head in curiosity, “You fell in a stream as a kid?”

Chanyeol nodded, “I did. But I got pulled out by another kid my age.”

“I remember that day, you were hollering for help and Baekhyun, Sehun, and I couldn’t do anything because we couldn’t swim.” Jongdae added.

Chanyeol laughed, “Oh yeah! I was terrified.”

“Jongin, didn’t you once save someone from the stream as a kid?” Kyungsoo asked.

Minseok nodded, “He did. A boy a fell in and I remember running towards it after Jongin reached in to grab him.”

Chanyeol blinked and looked over at Jongin who was holding his head. Chanyeol suddenly felt a pain radiate from his head and he held it as he looked down. An image of Jongin giving him a tiny grin as his hair fell over his eyes greeted his memory.

Jongin felt the same pain on his head as he remembered Chanyeol flailing in the water and reaching out to grab his hand.

Jongin let out a gasp and looked up, “That’s impossible.” He looked over at Chanyeol, “It couldn’t have been you.”

Chanyeol looked over at him, “You remembered something?”

“What are you talking about?” Baekhyun asked.

“Baekhyun!” Chanyeol yelled. “You were there! Don’t you remember?”

Baekhyun furrowed his eyes at him, “Remember what?”

“Jongin! It was Jongin that saved me!”

As if a key had been turned, Baekhyun’s mind began to flood with memories of that day. Not just Baekhyun, but Kyungsoo, Jongdae, and Minseok all began to see images of that day.

They remembered Chanyeol falling in and their frantic hearts beating as they saw Jongin reach in to take Chanyeol’s hand. They all also felt the same pain on their head and all extended their hand to try and soothe it.

“What in the world—“ Jongdae couldn’t finish his sentence because of how stunned he was feeling.

Minseok looked up, “I remember! Jongin! You saved Chanyeol!”

Jongin looked over at him, “But, how?”

Kyungsoo shook his head, “But if that’s true, then why don’t we remember them from childhood?”

“I remember too!” Baekhyun shouted, “But this makes no sense.”

Taemin looked bewildered at the six who seemed as though they had just discovered the true meaning of life. “What is going on?”

“Sehun!” Chanyeol yelled out as he eyed the priestess’s son

Sehun jumped at the sudden sound of his name.

“You were there too! Do you remember?”

Of course Sehun remembered. He remembered everything. But should he tell them that he did? Or simply put up that façade of not knowing anything? He pierced his lips together.

“No…I don’t.” He responded. It was easier to lie than tell the truth. “Perhaps this is some sort of mind game?”

Kyungsoo shook his head, “A mind game wouldn’t have all six of us seeing the same thing.”

“Why didn’t we remember this until now then?” Jongdae pointed out. “Why didn’t we remember this when we first saw one another? Why can’t we remember anything else as kids?”

“Maybe it was a one-time thing?” Minseok shrugged. “Maybe we are making this a bigger deal than it needs to be. Perhaps as kids one day we met in the clearing, played together, Jongin saved Chanyeol and then we simply went our separate ways.”

It didn’t seem like that to Chanyeol. He remembers that he had feelings for the boy that had saved him that day. He wouldn’t get feelings after meeting someone for only one day. He knew himself better than that. And now that he knew it was Jongin, he understands why he was so intrigued by the latter the first day he had seen him wandering alone.

Minseok rubbed his temples, “I’m actually getting a headache the more I think about it. I’m not going to dwell on this any longer.”

The rest of them also felt pain radiating from their heads the more they thought about it.

***

They all eventually needed to settle down and accept the fact that they were not going to get answers. At least, not today. They agreed that this memory was strange, but dwelling on it only made their headache worse. Therefore, they should instead focus on more important matters.

“What exactly should we wear to the Solaris ball?” Minseok asked as he picked at the grass.

“Don’t worry. All of your outfits have been picked out already.” Sehun responded. “I double checked them all too. So you can be sure that they look great!”

Jongin laughed as he covered his mouth, “Thank you Sehun. I knew I could count on you.”

“Your outfits all look amazing. Trust me.” Jongdae added.

Kyungsoo smiled as he looked at Baekhyun, “Do they?”

Baekhyun nodded vigorously. “Yes! I promise you all will be the talk of the ball.” 

Taemin smiled and looked over at Sehun, “What will you wear?” He asked.

Sehun looked over at him, eyes shining bright. “It’s a surprise.” He responded with a small smile.

Taemin smiled wider as he admired the latter. “Can I have a hint?”

Sehun shook his head, “You’re just going to need to wait and see.”

Taemin rolled his eyes, “I guess I have no choice do I?”

“Nope.” Sehun replied as he looked away.

Minseok raised his brow a bit as he looked over at Taemin. Why was he being so friendly all of a sudden?

“I want to stay longer…” Baekhyun suddenly said as he pouted. “But I have to help with the Solaris ball preparations.”

Chanyeol looked over at Jongin, “Don’t miss me too much while I’m gone, alright?” He used his pointer finger to poke the latter’s nose and Jongin went red.

“I—would never miss you! Idiot!” He yelled out as he looked away.

They all laughed out loud at their antics. In this moment they were all happy being together. There was no such things as differences or rivalries. They were all just friends who wanted to look out for one another and not have to keep their friendship a secret.


	29. Chapter 29

“I’m nervous.” Jongin admitted as the Monalets stood in the fork of the road that would lead them to the Solaris kingdom. The sun was barely rising and they had their heads down to avoid being eye contact with anyone. Chanyeol had told them that he would meet them here and then take them somewhere where they could get ready for the ball. But the latter was nowhere to be seen. They wanted to look up, but were afraid to catch the eye of someone.

“What if someone sees us?” Taemin whispered. He was just as nervous as Jongin.

“We are still not that close.” Minseok whispered.

Kyungsoo gulped. He knew that although they were not too close to the kingdom yet, they were on Solaris grounds at this point.

“Whoa, you guys arrived really early.” They heard a voice say. Taemin’s eyes lifted up and in front of them was Sehun with a bright smile. He wore simple attired with loose fitting shoes. “Ready?” he asked.

The Monalet’s gaze all darted up and Jongin released a sigh, “Finally.”

Sehun pouted, “Sorry. Chanyeol and Jongdae got busy, so I’ll be leading you!”

Kyungsoo sighed, “How is everything going so far?”

“Oh, preparations are complete. Everyone is already awake and preparing themselves.” He sent a wink in Kyungsoo’s direction, “Baekhyun is no exception.”

Kyungsoo scoffed, “Is that so?”

Sehun nodded, “Yes. Now, follow me please.” He told them in a sing song tone.

The Monalets trialed behind him, their black capes bellowing behind them. Sehun sent them a small glance and scoffed, “You chose the wrong attire.”

“What do you mean?” Minseok asked.

“Oh, you’ll figure out very soon.”

They continued to walk forward and suddenly, they realized what Sehun meant. The temperature was beginning to get warmer. They wanted to throw their thick capes to the side and come back for them later.

“Is it…going to get warmer?” Taemin asked.

“Actually…yes. When the sun is high over us, it gets very hot. That’s why our clothes are made of a special fabric that lets them breathe. Don’t worry, there is a wonderful breeze that keeps you cool…if you wear the right clothes.” He snickered.

Kyungsoo scoffed, “You couldn’t have told us this earlier?”

Sehun shrugged, “I assumed you already knew.”

They got closer and once they saw the castle looming over head, their complaints about the heat were ceased. Kyungsoo couldn’t believe that it was real! It was the color of the sun with a beacon of white that seemed to pierce the sky.

Sehun suddenly cleared his throat and the Monalets all looked ahead once more.

“Welcome to Solaris.” He said as he gestured ahead of him. They took a step inside of its wall and they were all astonished by what they saw. The streets were…shimmering! They were made of what looked like gold! Their eyes darted around and everywhere they looked, it was shimmering. The sun cast down and made the entire kingdom the color of orange and yellow. Sehun lead them ahead and they followed, but their eyes continued to look around.

“This is…beautiful.” Jongin remarked.

Sehun smiled, “Of course, it’s Solaris. Now hurry before anyone sees you.”

“Why in such a rush Sehun?” A sudden voice called out.

The Monalets froze in place and their eyes shifted towards the voice. Sitting on a rail was a young man around their age. He was sending a smirk in their direction as he eyed Sehun.

Sehun sent him a smile, “Mind your own business Junhoe.” He teased.

Junhoe laughed, “Harsh, what are you doing out so early? It’s the day of the ball, shouldn’t you be helping out your mom?”

Sehun shook his head, “I have a special assignment today Junhoe.” He smirked and puffed out his chest. “I’m escorting Baekhyun’s partner to the palace to get him ready for later.”

Kyungsoo’s eyes widened…palace?

Junhoe’s mouth dropped, “Wait…one of them is Baekhyun’s partner?”

He jumped off the railing and walked towards Sehun, “Introduce us! Come on! Let me see who he is! Baekhyun has been so secretive.”

Sehun stuck his hand out, “Stop right there. I promised Baekhyun to keep this a secret. I only told you this because I trust you.”

Junhoe pouted and placed his hands on his hips, “I won’t tell anyone. This is to satisfy my own curiosity.”

Sehun shook his head, “Sorry Junhoe. You’re going to need to wait until the ball to see him.”

Junhoe crossed his arms. “Fine…which one is your partner of the four?”

Sehun laughed, “I have to go now! You’re going to make Baekhyun get angry at me. He is super protective over this guy.”

Junhoe scoffed, “Alright…I’ll see you later.” He waved.

Sehun merely smiled and walked ahead. The Monalets followed behind again. They let out a sigh of relief.

“I thought he was actually going to see our face.” Jongin said.

Sehun shook his head, “No. He can be a little quidnunc, but very kind. He knows when to respect boundaries.”

“Sehun, you don’t have a partner for the Solaris ball?” Taemin asked.

“No, but I don’t mind. I’m happy simply being together as a group.”

“Oh, well would you like to…err…” He gulped and opened his mouth to speak once more, “Would you like to--?”

“Am I the only one worried about going to the castle?” Kyungsoo interjected. He had tuned out everything ever since he heard Sehun say that they were going to the palace. How could he enter the palace already? Baekhyun should enter with him!

Sehun looked over at him, “No need to worry. Actually…everyone is expecting you in there already, including Baekhyun.”

Kyungsoo bit his bottom lip. He suddenly felt nervous. He wasn’t supposed to go in the palace…not yet anyway.

“Kyungsoo, you do know the ball is IN the palace right?”

“Yes.” Kyungsoo replied.

“Then stop being so melodramatic.” Sehun told him, a smile on his lips.

They went through the back of the majestic castle and they walked through hallways with their heads down.

Kyungsoo heard whispers and giggles amongst the maids and servants. He also felt their eyes on them.

“I bet it’s him.” Someone whispered.

“No, the one on the left is so much handsomer. It must be him.”

Jongin’s eyes lifted and met with one of the maids. She covered her mouth and briskly walked away. He couldn’t help but let out a scoff. They were going to be the center of attention, just like the Solarians were the day of the moon festival.

***

Baekhyun sat in his room, ready to go. He had on his attire and crown along with his mask. It covered only the top portion of his face and was the color of yellow with gold embroidering the edges.

“Your majesty…” A maid walked into his room and he looked up. “It has been a while since guests have begun to arrive. Your presence is requested in the ball room.”

Baekhyun sighed, “Is he here yet?”

She nodded, “He is, but still getting ready in the private room you requested.”

Baekhyun had wanted to arrive hand in hand with Kyungsoo. He wanted everyone in the ball to know that this beautiful being belonged to him. But it seemed as though his plan would not go as he wanted.

“And Chanyeol and Jongdae?”

“They are still running the errand requested by your father.”

Baekhyun scoffed. Of course. The Monalets couldn’t get ready until Chanyeol and Jongdae delivered their outfits to them.

“Alright.” He replied as he stood. “I will go out to greet everyone.”

***

The Monalets were all in the room that they were to get ready in. Sehun sat in the center pouting, “Sorry. Chanyeol and Jongdae have your outfits in their private quarters…and mine too.”

“We are all getting ready in here?” Minseok asked.

Sehun nodded, “Yes. You are all getting the royal treatment. Nice room huh?”

Taemin scoffed, “You act as though you live in the palace.”

Sehun smiled, “I used to come in here all of the time.”

A sudden knock on the door startled all of them. The door suddenly burst open and Jongdae and Chanyeol stood panting. Chanyeol shut the door. “Sorry.”

Sehun stood up, “You nearly scared us to death!”

Jongdae lifted up his hand to tell him to give them a minute to catch their breath.

“We’re really late, I’m sorry.” Chanyeol managed to sputter out.

“Yeah, you are.” Sehun told him as he crossed his arms.

“We got back and still needed to bathe. Give us a break.” Jongdae remarked.

“The ball has already started!” Sehun yelled. “My mother is going to be very cross with me. I’m the priestess’s son!”

Chanyeol rolled his eyes, “Oh shut it. We’re here right?” He extended his arms and in them were two baskets.

Sehun took them and opened them. “This one is mine.” He said as he placed it on the floor. He handed out each of the outfits to everyone, memorizing what outfit belonged to who.

“Mine looks better than last year’s.” Jongdae remarked happily as he held it up.

“Wow…these are beautiful.” Minseok complimented as he held up his own. It was a light orange with golden seams.

Jongin’s was a darker orange with white embroidery. Taemin’s was a light yellow with gold embroidering just like Minseok’s. Kyungsoo’s on the other hand, was black. It had gold embroidered on the back with the design of the Solaris symbol.

“And this…are your masks.” Sehun said as he gave each of them the mask. The masks all matched their attire.

“This is…” Kyungsoo was at a loss for words. It was obvious that these were made with a lot of patience and love.

“Amazing.” Jongin finished for him.

Taemin nodded in agreement. Solaris rivaled Monalet in beauty, he could definetly understand why travelers who stumbled upon Monalet couldn’t help but compare the two.

“We have to get ready now.” Chanyeol told them as he placed the baskets away. “Baekhyun is probably already out there alone.”

Sehun nodded, “Yes.” He quickly walked over to Kyungsoo to try and remove his clothes, “Come, I’ll help you.”

Kyungsoo merely grunted as Sehun made him lift his hands up.

***

Baekhyun made his appearance as the announcer by the entrance introduced him to the crowd. He smiled and waved at everyone who he locked eyes with. He saw how everyone in the kingdom looked at him curiously as he walked alone. He had made such a spectacle of coming with someone, and now he was instead walking alone. He was supposed to come in with Kyungsoo by his side.

He locked eyes with his parents who had stern looks on their faces. He noticed Taeyeon stood next to them and he looked away quickly. He knew what would happen if he walked towards them.

He instead greeted the guests who looked over at him in awe. He greeted Solarians and non Solarians who attended.

“Your majesty, weren’t you supposed to bring a partner?” A curious Solarian asked.

Baekhyun merely sent a grin her way, “Yes, he is on his way now.”

“Baekhyun,” His mother called out.

Baekhyun pierced his lips together as he looked in her direction. Just as he feared, Taeyeon was next to her with a big smile on her face. Her hair was styled up with a dress of pink.

He bowed down to show his respect, “Taeyeon.” He greeted.

“Baekhyun.” She responded.

“Is there really a partner Baekhyun?” His mother asked.

Baekhyun nodded, “Yes there is. He is getting ready now.”

The queen let out a soft exhale. “Very well. As you wait, Taeyeon will be by your side. It’s embarrassing to see you walking alone when you are already of courting age.”

Baekhyun pierced his lips together as he looked at Taeyeon. He knew it would be very rude to deny her while she was right there. But he wanted the one on his arm to be Kyungsoo.

“Mother, he will be here soon. I don’t know if he would like to see me with another on my arm.”

“Until he arrives, Taeyeon will accompany you. If you are telling the truth, then I see why you are in such denial.”

Baekhyun swallowed the remark that itched on his throat and instead extended his hand towards her. “Would you do me the honor of accompanying me?”

She giggled as she took his hand, “I would love to.”

***

Kyungsoo walked behind Chanyeol and Jongdae alongside the rest of the Monalets. They were all ready with their masks in place and outfits set to perfection. Kyungsoo felt a bit nervous as they got closer to the ball room. He only got a short debriefing of what he should expect because according to Sehun, they were running very late.

Chanyeol and Jongdae suddenly stopped behind a couple that was walking in.

“Ready?” Chanyeol asked.

Minseok looked at him, “What do you mean?”

“Kyungsoo is about to be introduced.”

Kyungsoo’s eyes widened, “Wait…what?”

There was someone standing by the entrance and his mouth suddenly dropped when his eyes landed on Kyungsoo in the dark attire. “Is this—“

Jongdae nodded, “This is Baekhyun’s partner.”

“I---err—“ He suddenly cleared his throat, “Of course.”

His eyes looked over Kyungsoo and Kyungsoo looked away. He wasn’t sure what he was supposed to do.

“Everyone! If I could please have your attention please!” The man suddenly yelled out into the crowd.

Everyone‘s eyes suddenly darted towards them. Chanyeol and Jongdae quickly took Kyungsoo by the arms and pulled him to the front where everyone could see him. Minseok and Jongin followed clumsily behind. Taemin stayed next to Sehun behind everyone unsure as to what he should do.

Kyungsoo looked over the crowd and finally his eyes landed on what he was looking for.

Baekhyun was standing in the center of the dance floor with his mouth open wide as he looked at Kyungsoo. But what he saw suddenly caused him to grow a burning in his chest. A princess had her arms wrapped around HIS prince. Her head pressed on his chest as she looked over Kyungsoo curiously. Suddenly, any feeling of nervousness dissolved away. He felt a sudden burst of confidence as the envy burned his chest. He stood up straight as a small smirk began to play on his lips. He would show this girl who Baekhyun belonged to.

The Solaris prince had never seen something so beautiful. Kyungsoo was the epitome of what a God was. The Monalet prince stood confidently over everyone with a smile across his face. The gown fit him perfectly and he looked enchanting with the gold that embroidered it. The mask also caused his eyes to sparkle so much more.

“I would like to announce the arrival of none other than our Prince’s companion!”

Everyone let out a sudden gasp as Kyungsoo bowed. Baekhyun felt a smile embroider his lips as he saw everyone admiring Kyungsoo. He already knew his fiancé was handsome, but to have everyone eyeing him as though he was most beautiful being alive just boosted his ego. He let out a sigh as he slipped away from Taeyeon’s grip to walk towards Kyungsoo.

Kyungsoo lifted up from his bow, eyes scanning forward. He saw as Baekhyun approached him, a big smile on his face. Kyungsoo let out an exhale as Baekhyun extended his arm. Kyungsoo placed his arm in it and Baekhyun lead the way to his parents.

Jongin and Minseok were very confused as to what they should do. Should they follow behind or stay put?

Chanyeol and Jongdae saw the hesitation and Chanyeol quickly placed his hand to interlock with Jongin’s. The knight let out a squeal and looked over at Chanyeol, “What are you doing?” He mouthed.

Chanyeol merely looked ahead, “Follow me.” He mouthed back.

Jongdae took Minseok’s wrist and the knight followed behind him.

Taemin looked over at Sehun and the priestess’s son sent him a smile, “This way.” He gestured walking ahead. Taemin followed right behind him.

“Everyone is staring.” Kyungsoo whispered as his grip on Baekhyun’s arm tightened. “Including that girl that was hugging you.”

Baekhyun shushed him, “She means nothing to me. And everyone is admiring you.”

Kyungsoo blinked and looked at Baekhyun, “What?”

Baekhyun giggled, “Have you seen yourself? You are the definition of perfection. Everything is enticing about you.”

Kyungsoo scoffed, “You’re lucky your parents are right there or else I would smack you silly.” He was quickly forgetting the jealousy he had felt seeing a strange girl by his Baekhyun.

They stopped in front of the king and queen of Solaris. They were both sitting on their throne as they looked Kyungsoo over.

Kyungsoo cleared his throat as he took a step forward, “Good afternoon your majesties.” He told them as he bowed. “I am your son’s companion, I hope that you can accept me as such.”

The king nodded, “Of course we do. Tell me, how did you meet him?”

“I met Baekhyun while I was out in the woods one day.”

“It is as I told you father,” Baekhyun added, “I met him while out with my knights one day.”

“Tell me young prince,” The queen began, “How much do you care for my son?”

Kyungsoo smiled wide, his lips making the heart that Baekhyun loved so much. “I would do whatever was needed to make sure that he is safe and happy. I care for him as much as there is stars in the sky.”

The queen smiled and so did Baekhyun.

“You have a beautiful smile young prince. You seem familiar.” She told him as she eyed Kyungsoo.

The king tilted his head to the side suddenly realizing that his wife was right. That smile seemed very familiar…

Kyungsoo blinked at them, “I would have certainly remembered meeting such kind rulers. Perhaps I remind you of someone?”

The king let out a chuckle, “I’m sure that must be it.”

Baekhyun interjected and stood next to Kyungsoo, “If you would please excuse us, I wish to show him around the ball room.”

The queen and king nodded, “Of course Baekhyun. Please enjoy yourselves.”

Baekhyun smiled at them and interlocked their arms together.

Once they were far enough, Baekhyun whispered, “Did you smile the day we fought in the clearing?”

Kyungsoo shrugged, “I can’t remember.”

Baekhyun scoffed, “Your smile would be really hard to forget and very easy to remember.”

Kyungsoo chuckled and looked up at the chandelier that lay above their heads. “How did you get so many crystals so high up?”

“That is a really good question. I actually don’t know how my ancestors did that.”

Kyungsoo smiled and looked down at the floor. The crystals were in perfect view for the sun to shine on them. The floor was adorned with beautiful small rainbows caused by the glistening of the crystals.

People were either waltzing or helping themselves to the food that was on display. From the windows, he could see the garden outside was filled with children that were running around. The ballroom had warm orange colors and with the sun shining brightly from outside, it made it look even more inviting.

“Are you hungry?” Baekhyun asked as they stopped in front of the food table.

Kyungsoo eyed the food and grabbed a plate, “A little actually.”

He scooped up food and placed it on his plate, not knowing what some of it was. But he was always willing to try something new.

They seated themselves where the knights and Sehun were eating.

“What do you think?” Chanyeol asked.

“Really good.” Jongin replied as he shoved his plate away. He had just finished and was wiping at his mouth. “Chanyeol, am I your date?”

Chanyeol blushed slightly, “Err…do you want to be?”

Jongin smiled, “Sure.”

Sehun snickered from next to them and Chanyeol sent him a scowl.

“I guess you do have a date Chanyeol.” Jongdae told him.

Jongin’s eyes shined as he looked at the dance floor, “Chanyeol, can we waltz?”

“Huh?”

Jongin looked back at him, “Can we waltz?”

Chanyeol’s mouth dropped, “I…can’t waltz.”

Sehun pressed his lips together and stood up, “I can waltz with you Jongin.” He remembered perfectly how much the latter loved to dance.

Jongin looked at him and smiled, “Really?”

Sehun nodded, “Of course. If Chanyeol won’t accompany you, then I will.”

Jongin stood up and extended his hand to have Sehun take it. They both walked to the dancefloor and giggled when they stood in front of one another and began to sway to the music.

Taemin pouted as he saw how close Jongin was able to get with Sehun already. Why couldn’t that be him?

“Jongin really likes to dance.” Kyungsoo said after he swallowed.

“Hm?” Chanyeol questioned as he looked over at him.

“It’s one of his biggest passions. Ever since he was a kid he would dance to any kind of music he heard in the kingdom.”

“Really?” Chanyeol never considered himself a good dancer. Heck, the whole kingdom knew that he had two left feet. He looked back at Sehun and Jongin who were being silly on the dance floor and let out a sigh. He stood up, “I’m going to dance.”

Baekhyun giggled and took Kyungsoo’s hand, “Me too!”

Kyungsoo got tugged onto the dance floor with Baekhyun leading the way. He hadn’t even finished eating! Baekhyun turned around to face Kyungsoo with a smirk on his face as he placed his hand on his back to pull him in.

Kyungsoo looked into his eyes and smiled back. Baekhyun was so spontaneous, but he didn’t mind. “Very well Baekhyun.” He replied as he pressed Baekhyun closer to him. “You wanna dance?”

Baekhyun grinned wide and extended his hand for Kyungsoo to take it in his own. “Yes.”

Kyungsoo chuckled, “Your wish is my command my prince.” They began to sway to the music and eventually Baekhyun leaned his head onto Kyungsoo’s shoulder. Kyungsoo merely looked down at him and smiled as they continued dancing.

Chanyeol on the other hand, was having a hard time mustering up the courage to take Jongin away from Sehun. The two were oblivious to what Chanyeol was going through.

Minseok smirked and nudged Taemin, “Why don’t you take away Sehun and help out Chanyeol?”

Taemin looked over at him, “Me?” He asked in disbelief.

“Yes, you. Now go!”

Taemin gulped, “I—I can’t do that. It’s err…no I can’t.” He felt a slight blush creeping up at the thought of taking Sehun’s hand to lead him away.

Jongdae suddenly furrowed his brows at him. “Wait…”

Minseok laughed, “Just do it! Look at poor Chanyeol.”

Chanyeol was looking at him with puppy eyes and a pout.

Taemin sighed, “Fine.”

Jongin and Sehun danced in front of one another, having a lot of fun. Until a hand suddenly grabbed Jongin’s and pulled him away. He let out a small gasp and next thing he knew, he was pressed into Chanyeol, their faces mere inches from each other. He suddenly blushed and looked the other way.

“Wh—what are you doing?” He questioned.

Chanyeol felt just as shy as Jongin, “You said that you wanted to waltz with me earlier so, here I am.”

Jongin gulped, “I didn’t need you.”

Chanyeol smiled, “Look me in the eyes and say it.”

Jongin fought back the small smile that wanted to embroider his lips. He would never in a million years allow Chanyeol to see just how much he liked him.

Sehun was also pulled away at the same time Jongin was. Taemin wrapped his arm around his waist, with his head looking in another direction.

“Chanyeol needed help. So I thought it was a good idea to take you away.”

Sehun smiled at him, “I understand. I hope you can dance.” He told him.

***

Baekhyun had lost track of how long he had been dancing with Kyungsoo. He didn’t really seem to notice time passing him by whenever he was with the latter. “You look good in that outfit.” Baekhyun whispered.

Kyungsoo chuckled, “You chose it for me.”

Baekhyun smiled. Kyungsoo looked extremely handsome in the outfit that he had chosen for him. How was it possible for someone who was already beyond handsome to look even better?

“I need to show you something.” Baekhyun whispered again.

“Oh?”

Baekhyun smiled and looked at him, “Will you follow me?”

Kyungsoo smiled, “Of course.”

Baekhyun squeezed the latter’s hand as he began leading him away. “We are stepping outside into the garden for a little bit, alright?”

Kyungsoo looked ahead as he saw Baekhyun heading towards the exit to the castle and into the garden instead. Once outside, his mouth dropped at the flowers that paved a way for them. They were bright orange and yellows with big bushes that seemed to make mazes.

“Baekhyun, your garden is amazing.” He said as he admired every detail of it. It felt like being in an enchanted forest with how the trees seemed to loom over them, the sun’s rays peeking in through the small openings in the branches.

“The landscapers of the kingdom work really hard to make sure all plants growing in the kingdom are healthy and well maintained.”

Baekhyun suddenly stopped in front of a small pond next to a small bush. Kyungsoo looked into it and smiled. “The water here is very clean too.”

Baekhyun smiled, “It’s not the water I wanted to show you.” He lifted up his hand and gestured to a small golden statue that was planted in the center of the pond. It was a woman with the sun on top of her head. Her hair was blowing behind her as her eyes seemed to be looking down at something. Her body seemed to be as if it was about to kneel down.

“This is a small shrine dedicated to the Sun Goddess. Sometimes, people in the castle will come here to pray to her instead of going all the way to her temple.”

“Wow…she’s beautiful.” Kyungsoo complimented. If this is what she truly looked like, he understood why the Moon God was so infatuated by her. 

Baekhyun knelt down and placed his hand inside of the pond. Kyungsoo knelt down next to him to get a closer look as to what he was doing. Baekhyun suddenly pulled out a pink crystal and held it up for Kyungsoo to see.

“In Solaris, we use these crystals when we wish to spend our entire life with someone. They are used at weddings.”

Kyungsoo smiled at the crystal and lifted his gaze to look into Baekhyun’s eyes. “We do the same. The exact same crystal too.”

Baekhyun smiled. “Kyungsoo, in front of the Sun Goddess, I wish to profess my love to you.”

Kyungsoo tilted his head to the side, smile wide.

“I am in love with you Kyungsoo and I want to spend my life with you. I want to rule with you by my side, prince of Monalet.”

Kyungsoo leaned in and kissed Baekhyun with all of the love in his entire being. “I want to rule alongside you, prince of Solaris.”

Baekhyun let out a sigh and opened up his arms to pull Kyungsoo in. Kyungsoo hugged him back just as tightly. It was serene like this, with the only sound being the breeze that tickled their ears. Baekhyun had just confessed his love to Kyungsoo in front of the Sun Goddess. The Goddess accepted it, if anything the day seemed to have gotten brighter, meaning that she was happy.

“Ahem…” They heard someone clear their throat. They both let out a gasp and separated. Sehun stood next to his mother, a smile across both their faces.

“I thought I might find his highness here.” She told him.

Baekhyun and Kyungsoo stood up, “I was just showing my companion the Goddess statue.” Baekhyun told her as he bowed slightly to her.

“I know what you were doing Baekhyun.” She responded, “There is only one reason a royal would take someone from outside the kingdom to the Goddess statue.”

Baekhyun gulped, suddenly blushing, “Err…yes, well, I—I…”   


She walked up to him, shushing him with her finger. “There is no reason for you to explain to me.”

Her eyes darted over to Kyungsoo, who stood up even straighter. “Do you promise to take care of our prince?”

Kyungsoo nodded, “Of course.”

“Then through me, I bestow upon both of you, the blessing of the Sun Goddess.”

Kyungsoo and Baekhyun looked at one another and smiled. “Thank you.” Kyungsoo told her, big smile spreading on his lips.

She furrowed her brows, but her smile began to spread across her features as well. “You have a beautiful smile young prince.”

Kyungsoo grew shy at the compliment, but bowed nonetheless. “Thank you.”

“You two should get going, Sehun and I are about to ask the Sun Goddess to bless all of the couples that attended the Solaris ball.”

Baekhyun reached for Kyungsoo’s hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Of course. Thank you for your blessing.” Baekhyun told her as Kyungsoo and he both gave her a bow.

They walked off, leaving Sehun and the priestess to kneel in front of the statue.

She knelt down and let out a small sigh as she focused. That smile was hard to forget, it seems he still had the same smile as when he was a child.

“Mother, shall we commence?”

She opened her eyes and looked over at Sehun who had his hands in front of him in prayer. “Sehun,” She began, “Do you recognize Baekhyun’s partner?”

Sehun pierced his lips together, causing her to smile.

“No need to answer, your silence speaks many words.” She knew her son and she knew his expression only meant one thing. It meant that her son did in fact remember everything from when he was a child. Just as she did. She looked back at the statue and shut her eyes, “It’s time we pray.”

Sehun let out a soft exhale and copied his mother’s actions. He shut his eyes and began to pray to the Sun Goddess. He prayed that she send him a sign. A sign as to whether he should keep his secret from his friends or reveal to them the truth.

***

Kyungsoo and Baekhyun walked back into the ballroom, hand in hand.

“Want to dance some more?” Kyungsoo asked.

Baekhyun giggled, “It gives me a reason to hold you, so yes.”

“Baekhyun,” A soft voice called out.

Baekhyun and Kyungsoo both turned their head. Kyungsoo instinctively squeezed Baekhyun’s hand tighter. The princess that had been holding Baekhyun earlier had come back. She gave them a smile as she stood straight.

“Baekhyun, I just wanted to tell you that you both look great next to one another.” She gave a small bow towards Kyungsoo, “I apologize for clinging onto your partner. I see now that his heart belongs to you.”

Kyungsoo was not expecting that and gulped, “Err…that is alright.”

Taeyeon lifted up and smiled, “I will let you two dance now. I just wanted to let you know that I respect both of you, as well as, your relationship.”

Baekhyun sent her a smile, “Thank you.”

She scurried off quickly leaving the two of them alone.

Kyungsoo smiled, “So, our waltz?”

It would be rude for them to show any type of display of affection. Hand holding is essentially all they can do according to their customs and traditions. Only after they were married would they be able to display more affection for one another.

Baekhyun extended his hand and Kyungsoo placed his hand in it. Baekhyun pulled him and Kyungsoo placed his head on Baekhyun’s shoulder as he giggled.

“I wish we could stay forever like this.” Kyungsoo whispered softly.

“We will.” Baekhyun replied. “We just need to stick to the plan.”

Kyungsoo sighed, “It’s a pity that I’m not able to sleep with you next to me. After this, I go home to sleep alone.”

Baekhyun pouted, “I promise to send you a letter once you leave.” Baekhyun replied. “That way you can know I’m thinking of you always.”

Kyungsoo scoffed, “The problem with that is, I am unsure where to hide them.”

Baekhyun blinked in surprise, “You keep them?”

“Of course. I can’t bring myself to rid of them, not anymore.”

Baekhyun smiled, “I kept them too. I don’t want to throw them away either.”

Kyungsoo looked at him and smiled, “You do?”

Baekhyun nodded, “Of course.”

Kyungsoo grinned wide as he leaned in to whisper into Baekhyun’s ear. “Bring them to the secret clearing next time we see each other. I know where we can hide them.” 

They continued dancing, knowing full well that eyes were fixated on them. But they didn’t care. They only focused on one another and that was the only thing that mattered to them in these moments.

The king and queen watched from their throne as their son had a big grin on his face. They could see that he was serious about courting the young man he was dancing with.

“What do you think?” The king asked.

“If Baekhyun loves him, then that is all that matters to me.”

The king smiled and nodded, pushing away the thought of that familiar smile.

**Author's Note:**

> Questions or comments? Feel free to contact me on Instagram: @_exo_princess_  
> or on twitter: @exoprincess456


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